Book 1: Senior Year
by Jason22274
Summary: Senior year is finally here! Time to prepare for their lives after Beacon. Romances bloom, romances die, Friendships are tested, and a new enemy terrorizes them at every possible turn. Just another semester in the lives of team RWBY. (AU, Differences listed at the beginning of chapter 1)
1. Alone

_Author's notes: Differences on this AU from the actual cannon: I started writing this after season 2 and before any hints of season 3 were released, so many characters that were only mentioned until then are basically OC's and will not have any resemblance to what they will be like in the show. Notable example I already know about: Winter is Weiss's younger sister, not older, in my AU. The main story line of the show ended at the end of their first year. Life has mostly been normal since then with the exception of a major incursion of Grimm in the summer between third and fourth year which was successfully driven off (Short story on that to come when I have time) I've also made their weapons much more important to the use of Aura, so small things like Ruby finding out that Jaune hadn't made his never happened. Jaune also now sports a new weapon because of this. See "the bond" in one shots on more about that. Otherwise it's pretty much the world you know._

* * *

 **Alone**

Weiss looked at her sleeve, wet and covered in makeup, and whispered to herself "why am I crying?" Curled up on her bed, the lights out, she hoped she was being quiet enough not to wake the rest of the team. It wasn't that she didn't want them to wake up. It was because if they woke up, they'd see her in this state and her pride refused to show that. She was a Schnee...

No, she wasn't. Not anymore. The words rang in her ears, though they had been said hours ago. "You are no longer my daughter." She'd lost everything with those words: no longer an heiress, no longer rich, no longer able to uphold the good Schnee name. That last had been the problem. She wanted that name to mean something good. She wanted to prove to the world that not all of her family cared more about money than ethics.

Her last meeting with her family she had argued the point with her father... her ex-father. It had gotten heated, especially when Blake was brought up. He could insult her, but an insult to her teammates was more than she could take. She didn't even remember doing it, but she remembered the sound. The silence that followed it as a shocked look crossed his face and a hand went to his reddening cheek. Then he said those words, and Weiss didn't care, not at that point. She was too angry. She left without a second thought and went back to her only real home; Beacon academy and her teammates.

It didn't hit her till now what it all meant. Her father may have questionable ethics, but he never went back on anything he said. His twisted sense of honor wouldn't allow it. It wasn't the loss of all her physical goods that hurt right now; it was the reality that she was, once again, alone.

She looked across the dorm room in the moonlit darkness and saw Blake and Yang on their respective bunk-bed, and heard the loud snore of Ruby above her. No, not alone. Not yet anyways.

This hadn't been her first fight with her father, though it certainly was the last. She'd grown up in that environment. She was "the heiress to the Schnee empire" in the public eye, but it was her sister who got her father's attention. When the time came, Weiss fully believed that Winter would become the head of SDC. Her father had been very clear on that point.

A new rush of tears fell, remembering the isolation. She didn't like it, but she started patterning herself after Winter. If that was what he wanted, that was what he'd get. She would do almost anything to get her father's love. She was only six at the time. It was only natural.

The only thing that he had shown any approval of was her singing. She could sing like an angel. He'd book entire auditoriums for her performances. She didn't know it was a cover for him to meet with the less savory of his business partners at the time. All she knew was it was the perfect metaphor for her life. She stood alone. Thousands of people watched her, but never got close. Listened to her music, fawned over her beauty and skill, but didn't really care about her.

There was only one thing that had given Weiss any confidence at all. She was a Schnee. By definition she was better than everyone else; everyone who wasn't a Schnee. This was reinforced by all the people who wanted to curry any kind of favor with her, and how her father looked down on them. Even if she wasn't good enough for her own family, she was still worlds above most.

A particularly long and loud snore came from above her. She punched the bottom of the top bunk to get Ruby to stop, more out of anger for her own situation than to stop the snoring. But a shake of the bed indicated Ruby had rolled, and the snoring had at last stopped.

When she realized she would never get her father's love was when everything snapped into perfect clarity. She was alone, and would always be alone. Rather than allowing it to hurt her, to allow people to care only for her money and status and for her father not to care at all she kept her distance and made sure no one would come near her. The more they tried, the more she knew they didn't care about anything but what it meant to them to be seen with her. It made her skin crawl, and it made her angry. An arrogant air seemed to turn people away the fastest. After time had passed she even began to believe the facade.

And then she smet Ruby, in the worst way possible. Talk about bad impressions! Despite herself a small chuckle escaped her at the memory. Ruby was a force unto herself, even if Weiss hadn't realized it at the time. After all, she couldn't see beyond her own self importance. She was a Schnee, and for the first time she was the only one. She was the most worthy one there.

Weiss was fairly certain Ruby hadn't realized what kind of force of nature she was either. With her came the rest of the team. Trust was the big thing. It was something completely alien to her, but fighting side by side trust was inevitable. Friendship followed. True friendship, which she'd never had before. She'd become happy without really knowing when.

Her friends had given her the strength to be honest with her father, rather than trying to be his scratched porcelain doll. She told him how disgusted she was with what he was doing to the Schnee name, and their family's company. How did she think that was going to work out? And she called Ruby a dolt!

A small piece of her childhood self must still have been inside her hoping her father would love her.

The muffled crying continued until sleep finally claimed her. The dreams that came after were closer to nightmares.

* * *

The morning was bright, Ruby was animated, and Blake and Yang were both still in their bunks. One was reading and the other sleeping. Everything was normal. There were three more days left of the mid-semester break, and Ruby was being quiet (by her standards), but Weiss knew from experience she had all three days planned out to make the best of them for herself and her team. It was adorable in its own way. Not that Weiss would ever admit it to anyone.

Normal. It all felt wrong to Weiss. She knew it shouldn't. They didn't know what had happened to her, so they were going to just do as they always have. She wasn't going to disillusion them. Weiss couldn't bear to see the pity in their eyes. She may not be a Schnee anymore, but she still had her pride.

"Come on Yang, everyone else is up. Stop being such a sleepy head."

"Dolt. You know that if there are no classes she won't rise before ten for anything short of pulling one of her hairs out." The words left her mouth out of reflex, so ingrained was this routine.

"I wouldn't recommend doing that again," Blake responded in her near monotone voice. It was what passed for sarcasm with her. "I don't want to have to repair our furniture again."

The irrepressible Ruby wasn't thwarted. "It wasn't that bad."

"She punched a hole through my bed!" Blake responded.

That sheepish look crossed her face, her two pointer fingers tapping together. "It wasn't that big of a hole."

"I was in it at the time, and the mattress' stuffing made me look like a chicken."

Weiss began to tune it all out. Everything was normal, except for her.

"Weiss! Weiiiiss!"

"Huh?" Startled back to reality she looked around and realized Yang was awake. Obviously a lot of time had passed.

"You drifted off somewhere in la-la land," Ruby said. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I'm fine! What kind of dumb question is that?" Ah yes, haughty arrogant princess. That was familiar. It was safe.

All three of her friends took a step back, a bit of shock on their faces. That bitterness wasn't like Weiss, not for two years now. The sarcasm was, of course, but not the icy intent. She knew what was crossing their minds, of course. Even if it had been years the echoes from that past were unmistakable.

Damage control time. After a deep breath, "I'm sorry. Just didn't sleep well." Another half truth, but at least it wasn't an outright lie. She waved her hand dismissively, as if it wasn't really anything of consequence. "So what did I miss?"

That was the wrong thing to ask. Ruby launched herself into an exciting day that she had planned. She spoke so fast that after a minute Weiss raised her hands up as if to defend herself. "Okay, okay, I get it. Really, you shouldn't use your semblance to talk so fast."

"I didn't." A thoughtful look crossed her face.

"Oh no, I forbid it!"

That brought on a defeated pose, her head and arms hanging down dejectedly. Three, nearly four, years after meeting her and she still had that innocent charm. Weiss didn't think it would ever leave her. It was as much a part of her as the red cape she wears to this day.

"Oh, alright, but I'm not going to pay attention to it, just to be clear," Weiss said testily. And that was all it took. Everything was right in Ruby's world.

Blake had her own say on the matter "I really don't think her semblance can work like that."

Yang was trying hard not to laugh at all of this, and failing miserably. "She's certainly going to try."

Weiss tried to smile, but it was forced. If anyone had been paying attention to her they would have known. _I can be normal still. This will all pass,_ she lied to herself, _and we'll all be laughing about it later._

* * *

Why Ruby went to Nora for advice even Ruby couldn't explain in words. Nora wasn't exactly a subtle or tactful person. While Ruby was tactless herself out of a social awkwardness that was with her to this day, Nora's lack of tact came from a level of enthusiasm that made her speak before she fully processed her thoughts. Yet here she was asking Nora advice while the others were off in the library studying, or more likely getting beat by Juane at 'Remnant: The Game' again.

After a heavy workout, it was giving the two girls time to stretch out on the floor and have a little heart to heart. A few pillows and some overstuffed blankets and it was reasonably comfortable, and more spacious than any of the other locations they could have chosen.

"So you're saying you're worried because Weiss is being cold, grouchy, and snipish lately?" Nora asked with a 'and this is new to you how?' smile on her face. "She's been like that for a month, at least."

"It sounds silly when you say it, but yeah; more so than normal." She shook her head slightly. There was more to it than just that, but she wasn't sure Nora would believe her. Weiss seemed off in another way. If she didn't know better Ruby would say she had no confidence.

"Yesterday she picked a fight with Blake about White Fang, calling them degenerates from the day they were formed, not just the final years. Blake walked away from it rather than actually hitting Weiss, but I think it was a near thing. I know Weiss doesn't feel that way. Not anymore. So why?"

"So she's going after her own team now? That is bad. I really did hope it was just my team." Nora leaned back, fully relaxed and unnaturally docile for her. Ruby had timed this conversation perfectly after a strenuous workout, which Ruby had pushed Nora a bit harder than normal.

She valued Nora's input, but she didn't want to get sidetracked as Nora was want to do normally. "Ya think maybe something ha- ha-" Nora let out a big yawn. "happened between her and her folks?" Okay, maybe Nora was a bit too relaxed. "After all, this seemed to start after she got back from her visit with them."

Ruby was a bit surprised. 'Folks' meant Nora didn't know. Did Weiss only tell her? "Her mom died when she was young, so really it's just her dad and her sister, but maybe." Ruby had caught the slight change in Weiss too, but hadn't been sure. She was happy to get a confirmation. "I'm not sure what that could be. She loves them of course, but certainly doesn't like them. She's grouchy every time she gets back. What more could they do to her?" A small idea came to her at those words, but she wasn't sure. She filed it away for future analysis. It would explain a few things she'd seen in her friend lately.

"I could rough her up and force it out of her!" It was classic Nora, in her bloodthirsty yet oddly cheerful and cute voice. A bit of her normal self was starting to show through. Ruby couldn't help but laugh. Then again Ruby laughed at everything, even Weiss's jokes.

And that was when the door opened. After their 'exercise' both Ruby and Nora had been too comfortable to worry about getting dressed again. Ruby reflexively grabbed at their blanket. Nora just leaned a bit further back and folded her arms to purposely accentuate her bare breasts with a smile. Why hadn't Ruby at least locked the door? The tie thing was out. Everyone knew what a tie meant and she didn't want anyone to know it might be her. But locking the door was so simple.

Weiss's eyes were shocked for one second, if that. Then they became hard, unforgiving, and focused completely on Ruby. It scared her. Those were the eyes she saw the day they first met. Ruby wasn't sure why Weiss was so angry, or why she felt so guilty. She and Nora had been quiet about their affair, but it wasn't like this kind of thing was unheard of.

Without a word Weiss turned around and left, closing the door behind her.

"Well that was something," Nora replied sarcastically, not appearing to be put out in the least.

Ruby was near tears, and again she wasn't sure why. "I need to be alone Nora."

A confused look crossed Nora's face, and then a big smile replaced it. "Well if that's what you want then I'll let you have your time, but I'm just across the hall if you need anything. I think I'll just go talk to Ren. I'm sure he's lonely without me, probably just reading. You know how he is." Ruby watched Nora get dressed and listened to her talk now that the afterglow fog was starting to clear and appreciated her beauty. Nora was a great friend and beautiful, but that was all there was to it for her. Well that and Ruby needing help to understand her own sexuality.

Nora was the only open lesbian Ruby knew well enough to even ask. And well, this happened. Nora didn't really care who knew what was going on. She was just as open about her sexual orientation as she was about every other aspect of her life. More or less it was in your face because there was no such thing as a filter between her brain and her lips. It was Ruby that was hiding it. She was embarrassed, confused, and more than a bit guilty.

"Ruby," Nora said as she opened the door, her voice unusually soft. "I know this is for fun and a bit of experimentation, but it's been good hasn't it?"

"Of course!" She faked. It had been fun, and she did learn a lot about sex and herself. But that wasn't what Nora meant about "good" and she knew it.

* * *

Weiss felt a pain unlike any she had ever known; one more powerful than her father disowning her. How close was she with the members of JNPR? They'd flee at the first chance. She knew Blake would desert her. In her team she was the one Weiss expected it to happen with first and she'd been proven right. Yang wouldn't leave her so much as simply disappear on some adventure on the other side of Remnant after graduation. But Ruby, she was the one person she'd hoped would stay.

She never suspected, or expected, Nora of all people to get in the way. _In the way of what?_ an unwanted voice asked.

She had to hide. She didn't want to have Ruby catch up with her, or any of them to see her like this.

Hiding in an academy wasn't an easy task. The good spots had already been found. She needed someplace gross, smelly, and cramped. Places where the other students wouldn't want to hide for their horizontal gymnastics. A broom closest was the solution. The chemical smell of cleaners hit her in the face as she opened the door. Well, at least if she was caught she could blame the chemicals for her tears.

She sat, smudging her white skirt on the grimy floor. Weiss couldn't define what was running around in her head as thoughts. More like instinctive yearnings and fears chasing each other's tails. Hugging herself tightly, she let them have their way for now. A few minutes later she heard Ruby pass by, quietly calling Weiss's name. It went unanswered.

Dolt. She'll probably spend the rest of the day looking for her, missing dinner if necessary. She wouldn't stop until morning. Weiss knew what would happen when Ruby did find her. She could picture it in her head perfectly. Ruby's words would be like a knife being so gently pushed into her heart. Ruby would say anything to make Weiss understand it wasn't about her; that she and Nora had just found something. Something she couldn't get from Weiss.

Fine! If she couldn't get it from Weiss, then at least she was getting it somewhere. _I'll get her to understand one way or another that I don't need her, and she can go back to what makes her happy without guilt. I'll force her to if needed!_ The thoughts continued in that cycle; the anger in them building with each rotation. By the time she was ready to face the world she wasn't in the mood for any diplomacy.

She went directly to her dorm room, half expecting to find Ruby waiting for her. She was half right, finding a half sister instead. Yang looked like hell, but Weiss knew she hadn't slept in over twenty-four hours. "Where have you been?" Yang started, a bit of heat and a lot of worry in her voice. "You've got Ruby worried sick."

"Ruby should mind her own business," Weiss retorted with a bit of the superior "I'm better than all of you" tone she used to ooze thrown in. A tone she didn't have any right to anymore, but was good armor to wear in any situation.

"She cares about you," the heat was definitely rising in Yang's voice. Good, no point in waiting till graduation for her desertion.

"No. She doesn't. She may act the cute adorable feather-head, but she's in it all for herself. She made us all into the perfect team so she could look good in front of Headmaster Ozpin, and it worked. She'll get her pick of jobs as long as she can hold us together till the end of semester." Weiss couldn't believe the words left her mouth, and she certainly didn't believe a single one of them. That wasn't the point though. She got a reaction.

Yang was a woman of extremes with few grey areas. Normally cheerful, she had only a couple of buttons to push. Attacking her sister, that was a big button. She was playing with fire; time to stoke the flames. "You're just too thick to notice because she's your sister. I bet she laughs every time she thinks about it."

That did it. Yang's eyes going red was the only warning, but it was all Weiss needed. She cleanly bent backwards avoiding the fist that would have connected otherwise, and continued the motion into a backward somersault, each leg set to connect with a powerful kick should Yang be foolish enough to follow up her attack. The punch was no joke. If it had connected it would have probably knocked Weiss out, Aura or no Aura. It was fortunate that Yang's eyes were such an obvious tell.

"Hmmph!" was all Weiss said in reply to the attack, with a roll of the head and eyes. Then with a superior sniff she turned and left.

A muffled "Weiss..." was heard behind her through the door, but Yang didn't chase after her. As quickly as Yang's temper had flared, Weiss knew it had cooled just as fast. It didn't matter. Her only regret, or the only one she was allowing herself to acknowledge, was that she didn't get to change out of her grimy skirt first.

* * *

She wasn't sure where she was going. She didn't really have a place to go: no home, no friends, no nothing. She had only herself to blame, and deep down she knew it. She found herself outside, in the garden next to the dorms. It was a beautiful spot with the smell of flowers everywhere. It didn't fit with Weiss's mood at all.

"There you are!" The voice behind her was unexpected, mainly because Weiss assumed Ruby would still be calling her name, giving her a chance to prepare herself. Unguarded, Ruby got a split second to see the hurt behind the facade. She hadn't needed to see it though. She knew. Weiss could be a real pain, but she wasn't hurtful normally.

"What do you want?" Weiss snapped, while in her head _Go away, please, just leave me alone._ Of course that wasn't what happened.

"I want to know what's wrong! This isn't like you, not anymore!" The desperate look in Ruby's eyes could not be faked. Not wanting to acknowledge what that expression said, what it promised, Weiss ignored it instead.

"Nothing's wrong, you dunce, so why don't you go where you're wanted." Anger rose in her, fueled by her own self-doubt and a sense of jealousy she knew she had no right to. She had tried capturing the bitter cold of the northern wastes to freeze Ruby's passion. Instead it seethed with the heat of the hottest forge. She turned her back towards Ruby, trying to show just how little she cared, and doing the exact opposite.

Weiss froze when the arms circled her, holding her from behind. Ruby rested her chin on Weiss's shoulder. "Please, stop pushing us away," she whispered in her ear. "We all know something's wrong, and we..." Rupy paused for the barest of seconds. "I am here to help."

"Just what a good team leader should say, now isn't it? Well stop. It's last semester and we'll all go our own way after we graduate. You don't need to pretend to care about the 'ice queen' anymore, and I don't need to worry about my promise to be the best teammate ever." Those words hurt more than any she had said in her life. She could physically feel her heart squeeze in her chest. It was hard to breath, but she had to endure. Better to cut it off now than later. The longer the farce went on, the more painful it would be when it ended.

"Nope. I don't believe you. And you don't believe you either. I can feel it, right here." The emotional pain grew worse when she felt Ruby's hand over her own heart. She felt her knees start to collapse under her, but Ruby's arms tightened and held her upright. "I will never let you fall Weiss. Never! You hear me?"

"Why? Why do you care? I'm not worth it..." The memory of Nora and Ruby cuddling in a nest of blankets on their floor invaded her mind. "Besides, you have others to hold close. You don't need me. Everyone loves you."

"And I care for everyone, and that includes you."

Weiss couldn't stand it anymore. She wanted to lean into the embrace so much. Instead she shrugged out of it and turned back around to face her before Ruby could hold her again. "You insufferable little brat!" she lashed out, determined to get Ruby to leave. "How much clearer can I be? I don't want you. You're holding me down, and frankly you're suffocating me. You're better off without me, and I'm going to be just fine without you. Now go."

"Nope."

"What do you mean nope?" Weiss asked incredulously.

"Nope. I'm not leaving you behind, and I won't let you leave me behind. Tell me already, what happened? It was your father, wasn't it?"

Weiss did collapse this time, but Ruby was there halfway through the fall, catching her. "I told you already, I'll never let you fall." How could she know? She wasn't that bright, frankly.

"How..?"

"Oh come on Weiss, I'm not the naive girl you met. I do notice things, like my best friend becoming bitchy right after coming back from your last visit."

And she thought she had hid it so well. Who's the dolt? Then she noticed the two missing words that should have been in that last sentence. Not 'one of my best friends,' but 'my best friend.' She couldn't stop it from happening. She leaned in, and began making the front of Ruby's shirt wet with her own tears. It wasn't all she had ever wanted to hear, but it was closer than she deserved.

"I'm not a Schnee anymore. You don't need to treat me like some kind of princess, because I'm not. I'm not anything." She felt naked with that admission with her defenses down and ready for a strike she hoped wasn't coming, but couldn't rule out.

"So he finally disowned you?" Weiss nodded her head into Ruby's shoulder. "Good. He wasn't good for you anyways. Who cares if you aren't a Schnee anymore? You are still part of the best team Beacon has seen in a generation, and you're going to be one of the most sought after Huntresses in Vale. You know how that happened? It wasn't because of a name. It was because of you. You are a good person, a good friend, and one of the smartest most capable people I know."

"You and your speeches." Damn if it didn't feel good to hear that. She meant something. She wasn't certain she really believed it, but the fact Ruby did meant more than all the worldly goods she no longer had.

"You make it easy." Were those tears dripping on her? Weiss looked up, and indeed Ruby was crying. It didn't look natural. Ruby always looked on the bright side. Eternally cheerful, even in the heat of battle a smile would be on her lips. So why?

Ruby looked down and saw the questioning look on Weiss's face. "Do you think you're the only person whose felt abandoned? My mom died when I was a baby. Dad fell apart after that. I was alone, but I had Yang. Without her I would have been completely lost. I can only guess at how you feel. You have no one left in your family who cares about you, and you never really had any friends until Beacon." The tears were coming down harder now. Weiss reached up and brushed a few off Ruby's face.

Weiss had already known most of that, but it never really registered how much that must have hurt Ruby. It was easy to forget because of how naturally cheerful she was. It struck Weiss just how well Ruby understood. Without conscious thought Weiss reached around, pulling Ruby in closer. "Stop the speeches already, Dolt."

Two floors up Nora looked down and smiled. "About time."


	2. Taking Wing

**Taking Wing**

It all began three years ago on Team RWBY's first official mission, their field trip to Mountain Glenn. The Huntsman they were shadowing, their history teacher Dr. Oobleck, was doing more than just guiding them and making sure they stayed safe. He was assessing them for how well they handled in the field and their motivations to become Huntresses.

When it came to her Oobleck had asked "And what about you, Blake? You seem to carry yourself with a sense of purpose."

Her answer was immediate, sure of why she had chosen her course. "There's too much wrong in this world to just stand by and do nothing. Inequality, corruption... Someone has to stop it."

Then with the simplest of questions her teacher changed everything. "Very well. How?"

Blake hadn't stopped thinking about that day in three years. She'd had no direction until then, just assuming that becoming a huntress would automatically put her where she needed to be. She wanted to wipe her slate clean, of course, of all the wrong she had done. She also wanted to make the world better for other faunus. So the question was how?

Her and Sun had broken up over this subject. He just couldn't understand how much this drove her. He was too care-free and from what she had seen Vacuo had much less bigotry towards faunus. While he was willing to help, and he still did today, he had lacked dedication in Blake's eyes. Aside from being another faunus they had nothing in common.

So far Blake hadn't found anyone who could match, or even come close to matching, her drive who weren't an outright fanatic themselves, and she wasn't really looking. She had her friends, anything more romantic was just going to get in her way.

Direction came to her when she came across a fractured piece of White Fang. The meeting was easy, as a faunus, to find. They were using the same markings that had been used when Blake herself had been a member, and she followed them to an abandoned building. She was only there to see if this group posed any kind of threat to the peace. If the did she would decide what steps were needed to neutralize them.

She went in without challenge or recognition. It was promising that no one there was wearing a grimm mask. It quickly became clear they were trying to reestablish White Fang and floundering. There was no organization, and no set doctrine to go about their desire to bring equality to the faunus. Protests had failed, as had terrorist actions. The former was ineffective; the latter had been effective for the wrong reasons.

Blake listened for an hour as the discussion went around in circles with no alternatives becoming evident. She was happy with what she heard. They were trying to look for a balance of being effective without being illegal or hate fueled. If they had direction they would be formidable. Unlike Adam's version of White Fang this one wouldn't be operating from a dark place that would only breed more darkness.

Quietly Blake left the meeting, going just as unremarked as her entrance had been. She had an idea, but she wasn't sure how feasible it was. She needed advice. She threw her black trench coat on as she hit the cold night air, as a nearly imperceptible shiver running down her back. It had been the last gift given to her by Sun before they broke up. It was her reminder of the cost of her quest. In the pocket her left hand brushed the ribbon she'd used to use as a bow to hide her heritage. A reminder of why her quest was worth the cost. The two gave her balance.

Reaching Beacon, she looked up at the tower that overlooked the rest of the academy. Those weren't the only two things that gave her balance. There was also her training, and there was her team.

A sound to the right caught her attention. Using the night vision that came with her breed she was able to spy 'team abs' making out near the cliffs. Not that anyone would call them that to their faces. A small smile crossed Blake's usually stoic face. She had to admit that Yang and Sun made a cute couple. The name was inevitable, given their physiques and the way they showed them off. Blake gave them a wide birth. Finding time to be alone wasn't an easy thing when you had three roommates. They needed it.

Reaching their dorm room Blake slowed down and took in a deep breath. If Weiss was in there it would be a good time to talk, but that talk would be strained. Even though in the end White Fang had redeemed itself, it was a sore spot for her teammate. Worse, for a month now Weiss had been getting more and more moody. She was almost purposely rude. Team JNPR, though concerned for their friend, had taken to avoiding her. So far most of Weiss's cranky behavior seemed too focused more on them, as if they had done something to her. Jaune had decided that staying anywhere near her was only exasperating the problem, so he told his team to let the rest of team RWBY deal with it.

Still, waiting in the hallway wasn't getting her anywhere. Entering the room she saw Weiss sitting at her desk, apparently studying, and Ruby up on her bunk sleeping soundly with a leg hanging over the edge.

"Weiss?" Blake watched Weiss stiffen in surprise. She must have been deep into her studies to have not noticed her.

A waspish look was directed at her from Weiss as she turned to face Blake. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" That was not the voice Blake had hoped for. Well, it was late. Maybe she should have this conversation in the morning.

"Never mind, it can wait."

"Oh no, you broke my concentration already. You might as well make it worthwhile!" The tone was caustic and uncharacteristic of the woman Weiss had grown into the last few years, but it had become more and more common in the last couple of weeks.

Trying to ignore it, Blake continued. "Well, you know how I've been keeping an ear to the ground for White Fang activity, right?"

"Of course. We need to make sure they don't decide to blow up Beacon or some other nefarious plan."

Was Weiss trying to make her angry, or was she just grouchy again? Blake wasn't entirely sure at this second. "That is one way to put it, I suppose. I found a small cell tonight."

"So tell Headmaster Ozpin so they can get rounded up then." That superior tone! It grated right down Blake's spine as it brought back memories of their fights when they were still freshmen. She had hoped that this subject had healed over time. Obviously some wounds took longer than others.

"No, these were different. They were looking for a way to get the message across peacefully," Blake said as she was put on the defensive.

"Hmmmph, that will be the day."

"They can do it!" In spite of herself she lost a tad of her cool. A month of Weiss's attitude was making the provoking statements that much worse.

"I'm not saying the Faunus can't coexist, I'm just saying the White Fang can't."

"But we did, we only protested peacefully."

"And that is why you went into hiding at Beacon," Weiss pounced, reminding Blake of when she'd left the Fang for Beacon. "Because of how noble the White Fang was."

"That was Adam's influence. We didn't all agree with him, and most of us left when it got crazy." More and more heat was entering Blake's voice with each attack from the Ice Queen.

"If it hadn't been Adam, it would have been someone else, and you know it. Tell Ozpin and end it now before it gets bad." Another verbal slap in the face.

This wasn't the conversation that Blake had wanted, and far from the advice she was looking for. "I want to help them, and I want you to help me. I have ideas..."

Weiss took a slow deep breath as if Blake was the one that was being unreasonable. Then as if talking to a dunce she said "Let me get this straight; you want a Schnee to aid a known terrorist group intent on exterminating every member of her family?"

"To direct them away from that doctrine of hate and a peaceful road to equality!"

The snoring had stopped at some point. From of the corner of her eye Blake saw Ruby looking over the edge of her bunk. "Would you two stop fighting already? Weiss, didn't you ask Blake to come to us for help? What's the problem?"

"I thought helping would mean stopping them, not giving them help. That's the problem." Weiss turned back towards Blake. "Your old friends are degenerate scum. They proved it before, and they will do so again if given the chance." Something was wrong. This was far beyond moody. If Blake stayed, she was going to do something she was going to regret. It felt wrong, but Blake turned and left.

She needed some fresh air to cool off and get some perspective. The next floor up was the roof, which was often used by Pyrrha and Jaune to practice. It was late enough that Blake thought it should be deserted. She was wrong. The sound of steel on steel rang out clearly; telling Blake that the two were still up and working on their relationship, in a fashion. Not stopping, Blake opened the last door slowly, just in case a shield might be flying in her direction. Then she stepped to the side to watch.

Pyrrha hadn't changed her appearance much since Blake had met her. The vambrace on her left arm had been replaced with armor that covered her arm from shoulder to wrist. Most still didn't know about her semblance, but Blake did. She knew that with her use of polarity she manipulated the armor so not only did it not slow her down any, but she actually could use it for additional force. The same concept had always been used with her leg armor, which hadn't changed at all. She had gotten more practical boots without the heals. Except for Weiss they all had after one too many rolled ankles.

Jaune, on the other hand, had a whole new look; at least when in any form of combat. He'd replaced his older armor with a new set that fit him as if it was made for him, which it had been. It was shining silver, which contrasted with Pyrrha's gold nicely. It covered not just chest and shoulders. Panels that protected his hips and vambraces on both arms had been added.

Another change was the loss of his trademark hoodie and jeans, though those were still normal when just walking the halls of Beacon. Instead leather breeches and jerkin were added, along with a gambeson that was padded more than it needed to be. Both were in a blood red. With his shoulder length hair he wouldn't be mistaken for a hero of old, but he did give the overall impression of competence.

Jaune may have been worthless as a fighter when he first got to Beacon, but that wasn't the case anymore. To call what Blake was watching fighting, or practicing, was almost a sin. They _danced_ ; moving with a near choreographed perfection that came from an understanding of each other transcending reality. As beautiful as it was for Blake to watch when they sparred, it must be awe-inspired terror to their enemies as they charged the battlefield.

Four years, and where other couples had fallen apart when put to the test of time, they had only gotten tighter. The romantic in Blake was smitten by it, but the majority was nearly nauseated. Just too much sugar. There wasn't a single crack in their relationship, and often made the rest of the universe feel broken by comparison.

Jaune won the round, which was a bit unusual. As good as he'd gotten, it was still rare to see the student best the teacher. Smiling and laughing the two came over to Blake. "Hey Blake, done patrolling the city already?" Jaune asked casually. Team JNPR, like team RWBY, was aware and helping with Blake's silent mission.

Well most of them were helping, apparently. The sour look on Blake's face must have been worse than usual. "What happened?" Pyrrha asked, both with caution and concern.

Blake took in a deep breath, and then let it out slowly to release the last of her temper. Once she achieved a modicum of calm she explained both what she'd found in the city as well as the conflict with Weiss.

Where the Jaune who had first stepped onto Beacon's grounds would have hesitated out of self doubt, this more mature version's hesitancy was him gathering his thoughts, analyzing the situation, and deciding on the strategies to get the best possible results. This pause was normally a lot quicker than that of his younger self, and much more reassuring.

Blake was expecting something great from her friend when the pause lasted more than three seconds. The first sentence almost crushed her. "Not sure what got into Weiss lately, but I have to admit she has a point. Even with the best of intentions no future versions of White Fang will ever be faced with anything but open hostility." The light in Pyrrha's eye and the slight smile on her lips told Blake there was more. She couldn't read Jaune perfectly but for Pyrrha he was like reading a story from her childhood. Jaune had something.

"Alright," she said simply, waiting for the rest.

A boyish smile crossed his face, realizing he was made. "Well, the answer is obvious. White Fang has to die and never be heard from again."

Confident that Jaune had something or not, the fearful "but..." left her lips in reaction to those words.

"But that's only in name Blake. Pull the pieces together. Give it organization and purpose, and breathe new life into them. Just not as the White Fang. Call them something else... like... like... I don't know. It doesn't really matter, honestly; just something else."

The corner of Blake's mouth lifted in amusement, seeing some of the boy he once was show through. Her eyes shifted over to Pyrrha and saw the adoration and love in those eyes and suddenly felt like a third wheel. "Thanks Jaune. Pyrrha, I leave him in your hands," she joked a bit awkwardly, then left quickly.

"Pyrrha? What are you...?" she heard through the door. A second later a loud thunk sounded as armor hit the ground, then a hearty feminine laugh. Then they were out of her hearing radius, though she could guess what Pyrrha was up to easily enough.

Even Nora's sweet tooth would meet its match against those two.

* * *

Blake hesitated at the door of her room, remembering the argument with Weiss not all that long ago. It was an odd sensation. A loner by nature, team RWBY had become family to her that transcended her introverted nature. To not feel welcomed by any of them left her at a loss.

Well, no point putting it off any longer. Opening the door silently, she looked in to find Ruby still in bed, completely asleep again, and Weiss gone. Blake wasn't sure if she was thankful or upset about Weiss's absence.

Yang of course was not in the room either. Sun couldn't make it out to Vale very often and when he did the two made the most of it. Tomorrow he'd be heading back home and Yang would be barely conscious for classes. If Blake saw Yang before sunrise she'd be shocked.

The next morning the tension between herself and Weiss was still palpable. Blake was happy that classes would occupy most of her time during the day, and studying in the library after. She did get a chance to talk to Ruby alone to get her take on the situation. Her answer, in typical Ruby fashion, was sympathy for both of them though she wasn't sure what had been eating at Weiss. Ruby was set on finding out. Basically she wanted Blake to stay out of the way for now until she got a handle on that problem. Blake trusted Ruby, so she let it be for now.

After classes she found Yang, Ren, Jaune and Pyrrha also in the library. It didn't take long for all of them to be done with their studies and "Remnant: The Game" was broken out soon after. Jaune was always the odds on favorite, but they all enjoyed it anyways. With the luck of the cards a bad hand sometimes made it possible for one of the others to have a chance.

Being only a four player game, Yang was the one left out. She stayed for a bit anyways and gave a running commentary, but eventually she grew bored and headed back to their room to check on Ruby. Judging by the dark circles under her eyes Blake hoped sleep wouldn't follow to far behind.

Ren took forever to make a decision in this game, always being cautious and thoughtful with every move he made. It wasn't till last year that he even broke down enough to play despite Nora's constant playful needling. He was also still eerily quiet, so Blake started up a side conversation with Pyrrha and Jaune; continuing the conversation from last night and shared her own thoughts from before she fell asleep last night.

"I'm not sure what to call them once I get them together, but you're right about renaming them." Blake sighed, as she kept her eyes fixed on Ren, who was still studying his cards. "The real problem though is getting them together in the first place, and getting them to let go of the hate and anger so we can concentrate on real change."

"I play Steel Curtain, blocking Jaune's forces from getting any closer to my city." Ren calmly set the wall pieces on the map, blocking Jaune's large army. "Then I'll play 'Shrouded Grim' summoning a wandering group of Beowulfs to attack your forces." There was a certain feeling of smugness at this play. He then looked over at Blake, "Give them purpose. A plan on how they will bring equality."

Jaune waited until Ren finished giving his idea, then "Trap card, 'illusionary force.' My army is actually over here." Jaune moved his pieces to the other side of Ren's city. "The Beowulfs will now attack the nearest unit regardless of player, which would be your supply lines. You have nothing to stop my army from sacking your city." Ignoring Ren's highly emotional sigh by his standards (Anyone else would have just figured he'd blinked his eyes) he added "I like that idea. I'm going to assume you already have one Blake?"

"I'm sorry Jaune," and Pyrrha really did sound sorry, because she was. "But you left your city open. I play 'City unrest,' my spies infiltrated your city and incite riots. With no troops to stop them they're going to cripple your already strained economy." Pyrrha looked sadder than Jaune at having effectively removing him from the game.

Blake enjoyed the shocked look on Jaune's face. He was definitely out maneuvered. It also dove tailed nicely into the description of her very sketchy plans. "I got an idea, but I need Weiss's help with it. I want to put pressure on businesses to help with the cause. I just don't have the head for business to know what kind of pressure we can lay."

"You're right. That's definitely Weiss's department. I'm willing to bet she'll have an idea or two" He favored Pyrrha with a smile. "Well played Love."

"Oh Jaune, I just got a lucky card. We all know it."

"You know Pyrrha; you don't need to build up my confidence anymore. I got too much if anything. Please, just take the compliment."

"If that's what you think is best." That line seemed to be some kind of inside joke between the two. Whenever anyone asked about it Jaune would get flustered and embarrassed, and Pyrrha would simply smile. It could have looked nasty, instead it looked loving.

Blake had learned her lesson long ago about obsessing and needing to take time out. It was moments like this that reminded her of that lesson. Picking up her dice, she rolled her turn to see if she had any chance of coming from behind and enjoy the rest of the day. Creating a new faunus movement to equality could wait till tomorrow.


	3. Reconcile

**Reconcile**

 _Got to find her, got to find her, got to find her,_ Ruby chanted inside her head, while verbally she said "Weiss, where are you. Please, I want to talk to you."

Ruby ran into a wall as she made one turn in the dorm hallways. Well actually it was Yang, but it might as well have been. "Hello sis!" Yang said cheerfully as she reached down to give her sister a hand up. "What's this about Weiss?"

Thinking quickly Ruby grabbed Yang's wrist and pulled. "Not here," she said, pulling her back to their dorm room as fast as she could, which given her semblance was quite fast. A couple of seconds later (she was slowed down by Yang's weight) they were there.

Unphased Yang asked "Well?"

"Well you know how I haven't really dated, even though there have been plenty of cute boys who've been interested and I was always kinda uninterested. And they were cute; did I mention they were cute? I mean I'm quite popular, though I didn't want to be popular just a normal girl, remember, normal girl with normal knees? So really it was only natural that boys would keep hitting on me and..."

"You're gay, you've been sleeping with Nora, I know," Yang interrupted. "Can we move on to Weiss?" Caught off guard, Ruby just stopped and looked blankly at her sister. "You've been sleeping with _Nora_. How long did you think she could keep her mouth shut? Ren knew the night you approached her, and we all knew by the time you two really, you know, did it."

That slowed Ruby down with a look of shock; for a couple of seconds anyways. "But what about Weiss? I mean she didn't seem to know when she opened the door, and I mean really surprised, and she gave me that angry look. Remember her angry look, when we first met? No, of course you don't cause you ran off with your friends, but it was really scary and..."

"Wait wait wait, Weiss caught you two?" Ruby was fully aware that Yang was using simple questions thrown in to slow her thinking down. Her sister was well accustomed to her going off the handle when she was nervous, upset, or extremely excited, and was good at steering the conversation. The small, non-jabbering, portion of her brain was thankful for it right this moment. She needed help, and she needed to get moving.

Still, her voice was on autopilot. "Yeah, and Nora didn't even try to hide that she was naked, but I completely covered myself, and so you'd think she'd look at Nora first, but she was looking at me with those angry eyes, and you'd think I would be scared, but really I was just feeling guilty..."

"Slow down, what did Weiss do after the angry look?"

"She left, which is why I was out there calling her name, and then I ran into you and... Oh, you know the rest. Can I go find Weiss now?" A short sentence. Well shorter. She was starting to come back down. Good.

"Yes, I'll stay here in case she comes back and I'll call you if she does. You might want to stop calling her name though. If she's trying to hide from you warning her you're coming probably isn't going to work so well."

Getting all of that off her chest, Ruby was visibly calming down. She reached out and gave Yang a hug. "Thank you; you're the best sister ever!" And then she was off in a shower of rose petals.

* * *

Watching Ruby leave, Yang couldn't decide if she was upset or happy. Why did Nora get involved with Ruby? It had been clear years ago that Ruby and Weiss were going to end up together to everyone except the expected couple, so why sabotage it? When asked she'd simply shrug and say she was just speeding things along. Yang had nearly gone to blows over it, but she managed to hold her temper in check. Any kind of fight could bring what everyone knew was happening between Ruby and Weiss's out in the open. As shy as Ruby could be she would likely go into her shell, and Weiss was just pig headed enough to push away out of her odd sense of pride.

Of course, both outcomes were only theories, but there were at least five more that spelled them knowing causing more harm than good. Why risk it? They would end up together eventually from their own mutual attraction. It was best if they figure it out naturally, rather than unwanted matchmakers pushing them.

This development though was possibly the perfect storm to bring them together, or tear them apart. Either way she felt sorry for both of them. Weiss must be crushed thinking the one she loved had no chance of returning her feelings, and Yang knew Ruby well enough to know where her guilt was from. She felt like she somehow cheated on Weiss, though it was only on a subconscious level right now.

Then again Weiss had changed lately, setting everyone on edge with her frosty behavior. Yang didn't really believe it but the thought was still naggingly there. What if Weiss was returning to her old self because soon their time at Beacon would be over? If that was the case she could force it all to end before it truly began.

But Yang was happy. Her sister was a force of nature. It will end in their favor. She was certain of that. She stopped to think what day it was on her mental calendar, and smiled _And I'm going to win the pool._

* * *

Ruby's scroll rang, and seeing Yang's face on the ID she paused her headlong run to answer it; hoping that Weiss had shown up at their room. "I messed up," Yang said before Ruby had a chance to say anything. "She baited me, and I bit."

No need to ask who 'she' was. "What did she get you to do?" Ruby had only one guess off the top of her head, and she was afraid the answer was going to prove her right.

"I took a swing at her, and I wasn't holding back." Ruby stopped breathing, her fears confirmed. Yang continued, oblivious of Ruby's reaction. "She knew it was coming of course, and she ducked it." Breathing started back up again. "Then she got all superior like she has been lately and left. I called you as soon as I calmed down. It couldn't have been more than a couple of minutes. What's wrong with her?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." The voice was steady and determined, like she got when in a battle. It was going to be a fight, but one of emotion and words and Ruby had no intention of losing. She felt the importance of this moment on her shoulders; as if it would dictate the direction of her entire life. She couldn't lose!

She knew Yang would recognize that tone, and she hoped it would reassure her sister. Ruby wasn't sure if Yang realized how much she had helped her. She had gotten so upset that she hadn't really thinking. Before Yang's intervention she'd been reacting and going into her nervous circular chatting patterns. If Yang hadn't come along and calmed her she'd still be in that state and completely helpless against the challenge before her.

Hanging up the scroll, she charged towards the dorms. She was on the other side of the grounds, and the longer she took the further away Weiss would be from them. She couldn't let loose with the full power of her semblance, the vacuum of her passing would cause too much damage, but she pushed just below that level.

Her semblance had limits; the biggest was she had to travel in nearly a straight line. The faster she went the more momentum she gained, and her power didn't negate that momentum. It also had one advantage: her endurance was superhuman even when she wasn't using it.

Her need to slow down for turns caused her to take a bit longer than she wanted, but when she did get there her breathing was perfectly calm. She got there in time to see Weiss go around the corner of the dorms towards the gardens. Quietly Ruby followed not wanting to spook her friend.

When Weiss settled in the gardens, Ruby moved in. In the conversation that followed she let her desperation show and pleaded. Ruby kept her temper down, ignoring every verbal attack. Instead she concentrated only on helping her friend and getting to the truth. Ruby marveled that her nearly nonexistent temper was flaring at all. It wasn't from the little slights Weiss tried to hurt Ruby with. It was from the ones that were directed inwards, revealing and rending further the wounds Weiss had tried to hide. Ones she was possibly not even aware she was making.

It actually went easier than Ruby had expected. When the truth was revealed she'd never seen Weiss so vulnerable. She just held her as Weiss cried, yearning to do more. Weiss had lost nearly everything, and her fear to lose what she had left had led her to make it the truth. What would Weiss call it? A forced prophecy? No... A created prophecy? Ack, that's worse... or maybe not. A self-created prophecy! Closer, but not there. Ruby was starting to itch for her dictionary. A shame she'd lost it again.

 _Wait, I'm getting distracted again,_ Ruby thought, pulling herself out of her circling thoughts. Looking down at Weiss she couldn't help thinking _people can be so dumb, especially the smart ones,_ as she slowly sat down in the grass and placed her friend's head in her lap.

"I will never let you fall," she whispered encouragingly, "and I will never leave you." She repeated these words which Ruby now knew were what Weiss needed more than anything else on Remnant. It lasted hours, and during that time Ruby wondered at her own words. "I will never leave you." It was the truth, but it was deeper. It wasn't for Weiss that she wouldn't leave. It was for herself. After their time at Beacon, and their time in team RWBY, Weiss had become an integral part of her life. She didn't just want to stay in her life; she never wanted to leave Weiss's side.

It was a revelation. Thanks to Nora she knew what she was, and she had more or less grown comfortable with it. She could think in terms of relationships with other women without wanting to shy away from her own desires. _Am I in love with Weiss?_ she asked herself. The speeding up of her heart said yes. _What are the odds of Weiss feeling the same? Approaching another woman and asking her out hadn't been in Nora's teachings. I'm not sure how to find out._ She felt her thoughts trying to go into a circular tail spin, and resolutely pulled out. _Don't worry about it right now,_ she told herself. _It's not the time. She needs a shoulder more than she needs a lover, so that's what she'll get._

By the time Weiss looked up the sun had gone down. "Dolt. We're going to get sick if you let us stay here all night." Ruby smiled down, glad to see some of her Weiss showing through again.

"I'm not tying you down," Ruby replied.

"No, you're holding me down. Besides, as leader isn't it your job to make sure your team takes care of themselves? I mean really, you're just failing at your duties." The tone was sarcastic, but it wasn't biting anymore. Maybe a bit forced, Ruby could tell the pain was still there and would be for a long time. This was a good step though.

"Well then, I'm ordering you to get back to our room."

"Don't get power mad," but she got up, gently pulling out of Ruby's arms. Part of her wanted to grab at Weiss and pull her back in, but that time was past. It was going to be a cold night and she really didn't want to get sick, but she couldn't stop herself from hovering protectively over her friend when they headed back to their room. She hoped it felt comforting to Weiss, not creepy.

Entering their room, Weiss visibly shrank into herself as she saw Blake and Yang waiting for them. Their gazes weren't exactly hostile. They were wary, as if they weren't sure if they should be preparing for another fight or not.

The distance between Weiss and Ruby, already closer than it should be, suddenly shrank to nothing as Ruby moved in to hold Weiss. A part of her red cape slid over Weiss's shoulders like a dove's wing. She led Weiss's passive body to her bottom bunk and sat her down, a sudden protectiveness she wasn't familiar with enveloping her.

Yang had already relaxed, seeing the difference in both of her friend and her sister. Blake was a bit less trusting of the situation, but her guard was definitely starting to lower. "It's okay guys," Ruby started, her voice a bit more chipper than she felt.

Weiss held up a hand to indicate Ruby should stop, though she didn't leave Ruby's arms. Yang obviously noticed this too. Her eyes stared at the embrace, and then she smiled victoriously. Knowing that every one of her close friends knew her inclinations it was easy to guess what was going through her sister's head, and she was right. "This is my responsibility Ruby. I need to make amends for my transgressions."

"Trans-what?" Ruby asked confusedly.

"What I've done wrong, Dolt. Do I need to buy you another dictionary?" Again her Weiss showed through, though the pain was obvious as well. Was it wrong that every time she heard 'Dolt' her heart heard "My Love?" Was it wrong that she kept thinking of Weiss as her Weiss?

Blake finished dropping her guard at those words; looking expectant and hopeful that her friend was back. "I've been horrible to both of you," Weiss said softly, each word seeming to pain her. "I'm sorry. You both deserve explanations why."

Blake spoke up. "It's unnecessary. When you found out about my involvement with the White Fang, you told me the whys didn't matter. Well, this is the same thing as far as I'm concerned. I can't speak for Yang, but for me I don't need to know more." Yang was nodding her head in agreement.

A wan smile crossed Weiss's already strained expression, making her look even more like she was seconds from crying. "Thank you. I need to tell you though, for me. Give me that." Blake and Yang both nodded with understanding and found spots to sit. Blake took her bunk, while Yang took one of the chairs and straddled it backwards. When they were ready, Weiss began telling her story. At one point Yang got up and hugged Weiss, forcing Ruby to move out of the way for the duration. She possessively returned to her spot as soon as it was over.

When Weiss finished, visibly tired from the admissions and her insecurities, her teammates gathered up on her bunk for a group hug. "I probably will be all over Remnant after graduation," Yang said truthfully, speaking to Weiss's fears, "but Vale is my home. I'll always return here and when I do you'll find me at your door."

Blake followed suit. "Why would I leave? I know where your fears originate from, but they're dead wrong. I never forget who my friends are, and you're one of my best, even when you're being a brat."

Ruby didn't say anything. Their words had already been exchanged back in the garden, but Ruby played them again in her head, feeling warmed by her promise.

Blake was the first to break off the hug. "We have classes in the morning. We should get some sleep." She fixed her gaze on Weiss, "And I really do need my friend's help, and she gets angry when I don't ask for it. Perhaps we can talk about it after classes?"

Weiss smiled and nodded. Ruby couldn't pick out all the reasons for the smile, but the biggest piece was Blake not only forgiving her but truly accepting her.

Yang was next, though she didn't have anything more to add. She was all smiles though. It helped dispel the remaining tension in the room.

Blake and Yang went directly to bed while Weiss and Ruby changed silently into their pajamas, Weiss making a sour face at the grass stains and grime on her skirt. When Weiss crawled into her bottom bunk, Ruby started to follow her. She stopped half on, half off, fear running down her spine. The action had seemed so natural to her, like she'd always done it. She started to back out, fearing she had crossed a line. A line she very much wanted to cross, but what would Weiss think?

Before her weight had even started to shift into reverse Weiss said "Where do you think you're going?"

"Um, well this isn't my bed. I'm not even sure why I started to get in. I guess I'm too tired, you know?" She grabbed the back of her head and laughed nervously.

"Did that sound like a complaint? You didn't feel me pulling out of your arms all night, did you?"

Ruby was getting more and more confused by the second as she tried to tell if what she heard was real or just what she wanted to hear. "Well, you felt like you needed the comfort is all."

"Of course I did, dolt. I'm a mess. Get in here and finish what you started."

Still unsure of herself, she did what she was told and came in behind Weiss. Laying behind her friend her arms came around and held her close. In the lightest of whispers Ruby heard "thank you."

Across the room in the other bed, she could hear much more clearly; "' _Comforting_ ,'" followed by Yang's chuckle "I win." The last thing Ruby heard was Blake's low, pained, groan.


	4. Rebirth

**Rebirth**

Weiss opened her eyes. They hurt and felt swollen and red. They probably were. Memories of yesterday came to her slowly, and she mentally shied away from them. She remembered talking to Yang and Blake about being disowned. What had possessed her? Then she felt her mattress shift under her. Someone else was in her bed? The last memory fell into place. It wasn't a what that had possessed her, it was a who. How did she get people to open up? What Ruby said should be laughable, but yet it worked. She seemed to know exactly what to say and when to say it to get Weiss to open up. It unnerved her.

Moving as slowly as she could she tried to look behind her and see how her friend was laying. If she was lucky perhaps she could get out of bed without waking Ruby and pretend last night hadn't happened. She really didn't think the latter was going to happen, but at least the first?

As her head made it half way around, and her eyes covered the remaining distance, her hopes were instantly dashed. Ruby had her head propped up on one arm looking down and smiling like an idiot. Weiss turned back to her original position with a groan. _This isn't happening._ she moaned to herself. _I'm still dreaming, or is it a nightmare when you're getting everything you want only to lose it when you truly wake up?_

Fingers touched her back, and she stiffened. They felt hesitant, nervous. "Weiss?" That wasn't the smiling voice that matched the face she had just seen. "I'm sorry... I- I'll go."

"NO!" Was that her voice? It was! _I did ask her to hold me all night. It would be rude to kick her out of bed now,_ she reasoned. More calmly, "no, you're okay."

The wind was knocked out of her as Ruby quickly moved in and grabbed Weiss, hugging her closely. "I'm glad cause I was afraid you'd wake up angry with me for taking advantage of you, or perhaps just regretting letting me hold you, and I really liked holding you..." The Ruby express derailed before it really got going, as if the steam had just left her engines. Weiss could sense the nervousness radiating off her.

Being honest with anyone, even your friends, was nearly impossible when you were lying to yourself. Self delusion was something Weiss excelled at. She let those denials go though, for the moment at least. "I liked it too. Don't let go."

"I will never let you go." It was spoken with that same sincerity as last night in the garden. Suppressed feelings rose up at Weiss. Ones she hadn't even admitted to herself existed.

Reaching slowly up, she put her hand over Ruby's, and squeezed. "Dork."

"Your dork, if you'll have me." That was very forward for the socially awkward Ruby. It was also very smoothly said. She detected another woman's help, and she had a suspicion of whom. She'd seen all the proof of it she needed yesterday. Jealousy sprang up, and she clutched Ruby's hand possessively. She was so close to having it all, and Ruby seemed so ready. She couldn't risk losing it.

In a motion that felt practiced, though really it was just luck it went right, she pulled ruby's hand bringing her arm over her, pulling Ruby's body. At the same time Weiss rolled in the opposite direction so she ended up on her back. The end result was Weiss on her back with Ruby on top looking into each other's eyes. "My dork, hmmm?" A smile curled the right corner of her lip. _If this is a dream, I don't want to ever wake up._ Weiss realized. "Mine," she whispered.

Then suddenly the feelings of wonder left, and her head turned away as a tear traced its way down the scar over her left eye. "I don't deserve you." She was nothing now. Ruby deserved more.

"Nope."

"Why me?" She knew Ruby's answer; she just couldn't get herself to believe it.

She wasn't proven wrong. "Cause you're special."

"No, I'm not. You're the special one." In any other context those words could have sounded romantic. In this one it was heartbreaking to everyone who could hear the once proud woman be reduced to depressed self-doubt.

"Would you two shut up and kiss each other already?" Yang growled good naturedly. Both girls jumped and froze; surprised that Yang was awake this early. A second later their accusing gaze shifted to the other bunk-bed. "What? Did you think I was going to miss out on you two finally getting together? I know this will be the most important morning in my little sister's life, so don't fuck it up Weiss." There was a slight edge of sisterly protection in her voice that Weiss couldn't miss. 'Break her heart, and I'll break you' it promised.

Blake shifted slightly, and blinked. "I thought you were going to wake me Yang."

"I couldn't without alerting them, but you haven't missed much. Just them admitting their feelings by denying those feelings exist and making it all way too complicated."

"You- you- You planned this!" Ruby accused. A second later Ruby flew across the room and the two sisters started brawling as they often did, Yang laughing the entire time.

Blake looked over at Weiss. "You know we couldn't have planned this," she said, answering Ruby's accusation. It was a shame Ruby was too distracted to hear it. "Feelings are feelings. No one has the power to plan them, the heart just knows." A rare bright smile crossed Blake's face. The romantic in her somber friend was showing through. "It was fun watching you two circle around each other, I have to admit, but we deliberately stayed out of it. What happened yesterday, and is happening this morning, is your doing; yours and Ruby's."

Over the sounds of their fighting Ruby yelled "you made a bet with the others on when we were going to start dating didn't you Yang?" Ruby actually was mad Weiss realized. Weiss remembered the last words spoken before they all fell asleep. 'I win.' Yeah, there was a bet somewhere in there. "Don't deny it! You only make that face when you're fighting or when you just won money!"

"When you slept with each other, actually, and I think last night counts," Yang laughed.

Ruby was deadly with a scythe, but she was nearly worthless hand to hand by Huntress standards. Yang on the other hand was the best brawler in the school. She was in no danger of getting hurt, but Ruby was certainly making an obvious attempt at it now. "My Dolt, get over here already," Weiss called, hoping adding the 'my' would distract her enough to stop fighting.

And it did. With the attention span of a cocker spaniel Ruby jumped off Yang's bed and directly into Weiss's arms, barely touching the ground. "You mean it?"

"I'm not sure it'll work, but I want to try," Weiss said honestly, though her doubts were clear. Her confidence was still crushed. Her biggest fear wasn't that Ruby would leave her because of a loss of her name and worldly possessions. She was afraid she'd push Ruby away, as she'd been trying to do for the last month.

Ruby kissed her with an emphatic exuberance eclipsing the most excited Weiss had ever seen her girlfriend. The word caught her by surprise. It really was happening. She was dating Ruby. She was pretty sure she heard Yang laughing and she wanted to be upset about it but she couldn't. Ruby was too distracting at the moment to concentrate on anything else.

The kiss had to end though. She had one concern that wasn't tangled into her own splintered ego. It took Weiss physically grabbing the hair on the back of Ruby's head and pulling to get her to stop. "What about Nora?"

"She's a friend; we had sex, that's it." Ruby was struggling to get back to making out with Weiss with single minded determination. Weiss was guessing her short and direct answer was simply to speed up that process. She looked at the only help available, her eyes pleading, but both patently ignored her as they got dressed and left. It was as if it was a lazy Saturday morning to them.

Yang even started whistling a happy tune. "I'll let Professor Peach know you two aren't feeling well," she smiled back at them with a wink.

After they left, Ruby stopped holding back, which almost frightened Weiss even more. _She's got a higher gear? I'm doomed!_ She wasn't a virgin by any stretch. Her and Neptune had quite the love affair back in the day, and there had been others after. She'd thought she was ready for anything. She was wrong. In her night time fantasies she'd assumed that she would have to be the aggressive one if her and Ruby ever got together because Ruby was too innocent.

Ruby was _not_ innocent as she showed the same aggression that was her hallmark when fighting Grimm. It only took Ruby minutes to reduce Weiss to the point where thoughts of her own worth couldn't enter her head. The only thing that existed was Ruby and it was useless to fight it. _I need to remember to thank Nora,_ was the last coherent thought to enter her head for several hours.

* * *

Internally Ruby was overjoyed. She'd just spent the night with Weiss. _Her_ Weiss. No, not her's exactly. It wasn't like they were dating or anything. Well, she wanted to fix that! It had been the best night of sleep in her life. Her need for it not to be the last had overwhelmed every excuse she had made not to ask Weiss out. Now she had to hope Weiss said yes soon. Ruby knew now it would happen. Weiss nearly had when asked until her depression made her stop. Every minute lost to Weiss's depression was a minute too long.

Externally she was busy trying to beat the tar out of Yang. Damn matchmaker! Who cared if this was exactly what she'd wanted? And then making a bet about it? Oh, she was so dead!

Damned if Yang didn't make it even more frustrating by laughing and easily avoiding every punch, headlock, and armbar she tried. She was frustrated enough that she was tempted to cross the unspoken rule about Yang's hair when from the other side of the room she heard "My Dolt, get over here already."

Yang who? Ruby was suddenly being held by Weiss, having flung herself from one side of the room to the other without conscious thought. 'My' could only mean one thing. Those minutes had been mercifully few. "You mean it?"

Looking into Weiss's eyes she could see the self doubt and the fear. It was enough to cut through every other emotion, good or bad, to focus completely on the one before her. "I'm not sure it'll work, but I want to try," Weiss said.

That depression just wouldn't do! She dove in for their first kiss as girlfriends, trying to drive the very breath out of Weiss to have it replaced with the love Ruby couldn't express enough of. Well, maybe not love she had to admit, but damn if these emotions didn't fill her to overflowing with joy! She had never been shy about showing her emotions, and she'd never been known to be subtle, and right now she wanted to be sure Weiss had no doubts.

Her exuberance was leaving her a bit breathless, which was a new sensation for the usually tireless speedster. Yang nearly ruined it with her laughter. Ruby filed it away for another reason to beat up her sister later. She'd have to resort to dirty tricks, but one way or another her sister was going to pay.

Ruby's body reacted in a familiar way as Weiss pulled her hair, though her mind knew Weiss had to have other intentions with two people watching. Well, lust was to be expected, wasn't it? "What about Nora?" Weiss asked, which confirmed her suspicion.

Annoyed by the distraction Ruby replied shortly "She's a friend. We had sex, that's it," and then did everything she could to start making out again. She wasn't fully aware of what the other two were doing, except that they were still there. Yang started to whistle a tune which was a bit annoying as it only reinforced that she had to restrain herself. Her sister redeemed herself though by explaining "I'll let Professor Peach know you two aren't feeling well." That was followed immediately by the opening and closing of their door.

Alone at last Ruby was ready to fully claim Weiss as her girlfriend in the most carnal way possible. She was over eager, and she knew it. Like last night she had to remind herself that Weiss needed a friend more than a lover, but it was a lot harder to believe now with the change in their relationship. She made the effort though, and doing so didn't reduce her excitement.

"Do you mean it? Am I really yours Weiss?" she asked. She knew she was, but she wanted to hear it again and again... and probably a few hundred more times after that. At least for today. They could start the count all over again tomorrow. How long had she wanted this? Longer than she could admit even to herself. It took a lot of long talks with Nora to understand that just because Yang was randy as a rabbit with the guys and they were sisters didn't equate to her being oriented the same way.

Weiss didn't disappoint. "Yes, you're mine, and I'm yours." The depression was still evident, but a sigh of contentment was also heard leaving her lover's lips. It was a good start.

"Why did it take me so long?" she whispered tenderly, her eyes still brimming with emotion as she looked down. "Why couldn't I just tell you I love you? Ask you out? I've wanted this for so long."

"Because you're a nit-wit, a dunce, and completely clueless," Weiss replied, her voice low and echoing Ruby's emotions. "Not that I have given you many clues to start with."

Lowering her head Ruby gave Weiss a kiss that was as slow and tender as her earlier kiss had been energetic and passionate. "I have those clues now."

Weiss's arms had circled around Ruby and held her tenderly. "You have more than clues. Even you can't be thick enough not to understand," and she pulled herself up to give a kiss of her own.

 _Why did it take so long to admit my feelings?_ was Ruby's last chaste thought for several hours.

* * *

Several hours and a long hot shower later, Ruby watched Weiss getting dressed. The dazed look on Weiss's face was a point of pride to Ruby. _Maybe I should have taken it a bit easier on her,_ she thought with a lop sided grin. _I just couldn't help myself though, once I got started. I feel bad for doing it, but how often have I pretended to myself that Nora had been her? Too many to count._

As if someone else was moving her body Weiss found her garments and put them on, one at a time. That stopped when she got to her coat, her eyes focused on its back. She gently moved her fingers over the snow flake that was her family's emblem. It was perhaps the most well known one on all of Remnant because it was also used for her father's company. Ruby knew she literally had no right to wear it any longer, well beyond the emotional reasons.

Every huntsman and huntress had an emblem. If they were part of a line of huntsmen, like Ruby herself, then often they took their parent's for their own. Ruby wore her mother's, Yang their father's. Those who didn't made one. Weiss was unusual because she didn't have any direct family to use, but she had a family business's insignia to fall back on instead. It had been her need to give a good public face to SDC that she'd used that insignia.

Legally her father could sue her for using it once the paperwork went through and she wasn't his daughter on paper as well as well as word. She would need to come up with an alternative. It was the final tie to cut in a life she had never enjoyed, yet had been all she'd ever known.

Ruby walked up to her and kneeled so she could look up at Weiss, a hand stilling the one Weiss had over her jacket. "I'll miss it too," she whispered tenderly.

Bitterly Weiss threw the jacket into a corner. "Stop it or you're going to get me to start crying again. I've had quite enough of that." There was anger in that, but it wasn't directed at Weiss, and it wasn't at her. Both were improvements. "Let's go. We've already missed one class. I don't want my grades to suffer because of this."

They left, Weiss's jacket forgotten in the corner. Ruby decided she was going to replace it, and do it soon. Weiss's shoulders were enjoyable to see, but she just didn't look right. Walking down the halls Ruby had trouble deciding if the looks they were getting were more related to that lack, or the fact they were walking hand in hand.

 _Who am I kidding? They're probably gawking at her hickey,_ she thought at herself. _I really tried not to make one too!_ A goofy smile crossed her face, remembering Weiss ignoring Ruby suggesting using her aura to heal it.

Ruby had been shy about people knowing her and Nora were anything more than just friends. With Weiss she was proud, and she wanted to make it clear to everyone Weiss was _hers_. They'd missed their first class, and had made it to their second class with seconds to spare. It wasn't until the two hour break between their second and third class that the rest of their team, and team NJPR, descended on them. They all seemed to sense that Weiss wasn't ready for the ribbing and left her alone, but Ruby was fair game. Nora and Yang led the charge with Jaune coming in right behind. The fact Nora was joining, and nearly leading, the fray eased Ruby's one fear that she might have hurt her friend. When Nora asked if Ruby had put her 'training' to good use Ruby blushed, and everyone else laughed.

Everyone except Weiss and Blake. They'd gone off to a corner and started talking, sometimes very animatedly. It was animated with excitement though, not anger. Ruby would have loved to know what it was about, but let them have their space. It was just good to see Weiss seem to be happy.

On the way to their last class for the day Weiss came up to Ruby and whispered "me and Blake are going into town this weekend. She's going to let me give her a makeover." Ruby nearly tripped over absolutely nothing. "It isn't that what she wears doesn't look good. It's alright for some people, but she needs to look more professional if she wants to move up."

Ruby tried to make sense of this, but couldn't. Why would Blake need to look professional? Most Huntresses wore street gear designed for ease of motion; some wore armor; a few even high fashion; but no one dressed professionally. Why would they? Ruby shunted her thoughts away, and asked something else entirely. "What about me? Should I get a makeover too?"

Weiss took a seat in the lecture hall, and Ruby sat next to her. "No, I couldn't picture you any other way than you are right now." Ruby knew for sure now that her fashion forward girlfriend was biased, but that fact only made her feel even better. "However you can come along, if you want."

The last was meant to sound like it wasn't any big deal one way or another, but it failed miserably. Ruby was eager to go to town anyways. She had a gift to get.

Weiss was showing more life, but Ruby was positively buzzing during class. She couldn't pay any attention. Her mind was working on exactly what she wanted to have made; making small changes here and there in the design. She hoped Weiss would like it. She'd have to find the basic item and have it altered to make it match her mental image. The hardest part would be getting away from Weiss long enough to get it made.

A jab in the ribs from Weiss brought her out of her daydream, her eyes showing disapproval. "Pay attention, this is important," she said in hushed tones. Ruby couldn't help smiling at it, but she got her thinking cap on and listened to the droning of their teacher.

That night Ruby crawled into bed with Weiss without hesitation. Was it only yesterday that Ruby was preparing for a battle with Weiss that would determine the destiny of RWBY? It felt like years already. _We need to get a bigger bed though. A twin mattress is a bit of a tight fit._ Not that Ruby minded. It gave a good excuse to cuddle closely.

* * *

Two days later, Sunday, Weiss was in the eighth store they'd visited so far. She was searching through the racks for the perfect shirt for Blake to go with the rest of the suit. Blake was a woman transformed, yet it fit well with her personality.

Ruby had disappeared hours earlier, called off by Yang, again. Yesterday she'd been gone for three hours, and Weiss wasn't entirely sure why Yang had needed her. Weiss was annoyed, not wanting to be separated. She was feeling better today, but Ruby had become a bit of an emotional security blanket. She was itchy that the depression would come back without her.

Never hearing Ruby approach, she was shocked to feel something settle over her shoulders. It was heavier than her coat had been, particularly on the left shoulder. Looking it over, she realized it was a cloak, white on the exterior, and red on the interior. The flow was perfect. It was not as long as Ruby's, and much more formal feeling. It none the less instantly reminded her of the red cloak her lover wore. Looking at her left shoulder she noticed the weight was a spaulder painted red with black along the outer edge of each plate; Ruby's colors.

Before turning around she reached up and buckled the straps that secured the shoulder in place as her hands shook with emotion. When she was done she turned around to face Ruby, unsurprised at the expectant expression. It was filled with equal parts hope and fear. It turned instantly to joy seeing Weiss's expression. _I think of her as a security blanket, and what does she do? Gifts me with a real one. She's a dolt, and at times a complete nit-wit, but she's my dolt and someone I will never regret having in my life._

She saw Ruby getting ready to launch into a confusing monologue about why she decided to get it, and to make sure Weiss was okay with her gift. She cut it off by kissing her and putting all of her emotions into it. "It's perfect," she told Ruby.

Things would never return to normal as she had once known it. They transformed to a totally new definition of normal on that day; a better normal. It was a memory she cherished all the way through the dark days that were to come.


	5. It's all in the Plumage

**It's all in the Plumage  
**

"I'll let Professor Peach know you two aren't feeling well," Yang said with a smile as she closed the door to their room. That smile wasn't just for Ruby's and Weiss's benefit. Blake's usually bright friend had found a new level, much like Ruby had. Blake rarely heard Yang whistling a tune, but she was doing it this morning. It was starting to get annoying by the time they left the dormitory. "You are a bit too happy even by your standards. This is more than just winning the pool."

"That certainly is helping," she glowed, "but mostly it's seeing my sister truly happy. You know how I told you about losing our mother and how it affected me during our second semester?" It was a good thing that Beacon's campus was inordinately large for the number of students that went to it. It allowed for conversations to be mostly private between buildings or Blake thought this one wouldn't take place till later.

Blake knew exactly what conversation Yang was talking about. It might have saved her life, and that wasn't an overstatement with how obsessed she was back then. "Yes, what does that have to do with it?"

"I never really told you how it affected Ruby." There was no one they could see in earshot, Yang none the less started to talk in hushed tones. "It's true that she doesn't really remember her mother, but that doesn't mean she didn't feel the lack, especially as she got older. She hides it well, but there has always been a shadow on her happiness. You've never seen her without that shadow, but I have. That means to you she's been acting normal, but I've known better. This is her. Couldn't you tell the difference?"

That had been impossible not to see. Even when she was mad at Yang and trying to hurt her there had been a feeling of joy. "She did seem happier. I just assumed it was the newness of her relationship."

"Yes that's part of it, and when they settle that shadow may return," the blonde powerhouse said. "I really don't think it will though. I have a feeling."

Blake accepted that instantly. If anyone knew how Ruby ticked it was Yang. "Ok. What about Weiss? Do you think she will be okay?" Blake was deeply worried about her friend, and she could see her going back into her depression even with Ruby to keep her from the darkness. This could be a team effort to help one of their own.

"That's trickier," Yang said, paralleling Blake's thoughts. "I mean, to lose your family is bad enough, but knowing just why she was so frosty when we first met..." Yang shook her head, some of her earlier joy lost when contemplating the condition of their friend. "I don't think her self esteem will come back without help. Ruby will keep her happy, but you saw it last night. Her name was where her confidence started. Without it I think she won't be able to see the rest of what makes her great."

"I agree." Blake decided to let Yang in on her plan. "I have an idea that might help. I could have her work with me on the White Fang."

"You mean patrolling with you?" Yang asked with confusion. "I thought us not being faunus would just get in the way?"

Blake shook her head. "No, that isn't what I need help with. I need help planning how to get where I want White Fang to be. She has knowledge that would be essential."

"You're going to be ambitious beyond reason, aren't you?" There was worry in her voice, and Blake could guess why.

"Maybe. This won't be easy, but don't worry. I won't push myself like I have in the past."

"Good," Yang approved. "Then I say go for it. Making use of her, especially in a way that only she can, will only help her ego."

Blake nodded, then let the conversation settle and started thinking. Yang let the conversation die, which Blake was thankful for. It had taken time but her friend had learned when it was okay to talk to Blake and when Blake needed to be left to her thoughts.

The biggest problem was Weiss's relationship with Ruby, of all things. It was new and Blake didn't want to separate the two. She wanted to be sure they had the time they needed to truly cement their relationship. Ruby was essential to Weiss's well being, and now Blake knew it was helping Ruby get past her own demons.

At the same time if Weiss was going to help her Blake would need to bring her completely in. This was going to need a lot of planning, and she was pretty sure Weiss was going to bring up things she hadn't thought of. That's one of the reasons Blake needed her.

Where was the balance?

Blake was thankful for classes for a second day in a row. Yesterday it was to avoid Weiss and possibly reignite their fight. Today it was giving her something else to occupy her thoughts because she wasn't coming up with any answers.

Between her first and second class for the day she went to her favorite spot to read. Reading was her great escape, but it also helped her think. In this case it was only serving to keep her relaxed. She kept an eye out for Weiss and Ruby as well. She knew what they were up to, but she didn't know how long they would take. It wasn't that it was any of her business, but talking to Weiss was the only real solution. Weiss could decide how deep she was willing to go. It was her decision to make, not Blake's she realized.

Unfortunately she didn't see them until the very beginning of their next class. Weiss's favorite, Advanced Dust Manipulation. Yang sat next to Blake on the level above Weiss and Ruby. Yang elbowed Blake with a lopsided grin and whispered "Their hair's still wet." Blake just answered with a sour look. She did notice that Weiss wasn't wearing her coat. It didn't surprise her, but it did look out of place.

After class she finally had her chance. She found the rest of their clique pulling aside Ruby to undoubtedly tease her without mercy. By now Yang had told the others what had happened last night and this morning, though it was edited to not have the portions Weiss wouldn't want shared. Even with their friends in JNPR.

She'd also gotten her winnings. It wasn't small because they bet on which day it would happen that month. When the month was over if no one had won they made a new bet with the money from the previous pot added in. Over two years even the small amount they were putting in added up.

It was as good of a chance as any. "Weiss, can we talk?"

"Of course," Weiss smiled brightly. Blake didn't react to it but she was several levels beyond surprised. Weiss didn't smile brightly. Dating Ruby was doing wonders already. _We always knew her and Ruby were going to get together eventually, but I don't think any of us predicted this,_ Blake thought to herself as they walked to the side. Blake picked the same spot she had been reading at earlier. It was quiet and a bit secluded without actively hiding. Perfect for what she needed.

Blake noticed Weiss make an inconspicuous glance to be sure Ruby was still in line of sight. Ruby was obviously providing more than love. Weiss's shoulders had stiffened up when she'd walked away, and with that look they had again relaxed. Ruby was also Weiss's security against her depression and perhaps herself. Blake tucked that piece of information away.

"So, what do you need to talk about?" her voice sounded as happy as that smile had indicated. It was eerie. What did Ruby do to her?

Remembering the last time she approached the subject, Blake was nervous regardless of how happy Weiss appeared. Hesitantly she asked "Remember when I told you I found a piece of the White Fang?" Blake very closely watched her friend's expression, trying to ready herself for anything.

"Yeeeees," her friend said slowly as if she was the one ready for the attack. This actually put Blake at ease.

With a lot less fear of a possible backlash she told Weiss "I could still use your help, if you are willing."

Weiss let out a breath that Blake hadn't known her friend was holding. "I would be happy to," she said with obvious relief. "Thank you." Blake simply nodded knowing exactly what Weiss was thanking her for. The previous argument was truly forgiven and forgotten. "But how can I be of use? I'm not able to do much anymore." Ah yes, the self doubt. Hopefully this will help with that.

"I have an idea, but I'm not sure how to go about it. I want to bring the pieces of White Fang back together under a new name, and a new method, to bring about our equality."

Weiss nodded. She had straightened her back slightly as she faced a problem other than herself, and one she was comfortable helping with. "Consolidation with a total rebranding, complete with new mission statement. That could work, so long as no one realizes the connection between the new and the old."

"It was Jaune's idea." Blake admitted.

"He is smarter than I used to give him credit."

Blake was curious how deeply Weiss's emotional wounds went. "Smarter than you?"

"Possibly in some areas," she said with real humility.

Well, that was good to hear. At least she was able to recognize her skills and knowledge weren't useless, though that was not the overconfident answer that she would have received before her trial had begun. Maybe that would be a positive turn for her friend. That overconfidence often got her into trouble.

"Right," Blake said, and then returned to their conversation. "To pull those pieces together I will need a very convincing 'mission statement.' Both protests and terrorism did not work, not that I would go with terrorism even if it had. I was thinking on other ways."

Weiss nodded, "I can see you have an idea."

"More of a concept really. Could we put financial pressure on businesses that are discriminating against us, and encourage them to have fair policies?"

"There are ways, I think. It'd be easier if we had financial backing," Weiss started, winding her way into the subject. "Also until you manage to get the White Fang, or whatever you're going to call them, together you aren't going to have enough manpower. There is also the possible backlash from large companies like the Schnee Dust Company." Weiss paused for a second after mentioning her father's company, but after a deep breath she continued. "If they try they could cause bad publicity which would undercut your cause."

Weiss went on with further ideas and possible complications until Blake held up a hand to stall her friend. "Okay, you've already brought up several points I hadn't thought of, and I'm sure you can come up with more. So the question is where do we start?"

Again that smile, and this time with real humor. "We're going to start with a makeover."

Blake's mouth dropped. "A what?"

"A makeover," her friend repeated, looking entirely pleased with herself. "You aren't going to inspire anyone looking like a Huntress, except for people who want to fight. That isn't the crowd you want."

"But..." Blake wasn't sure what she was going to say after that, and Weiss didn't give her a chance.

"No buts. You asked for my help, so that's where we're going to start." Weiss's voice was now taking on a more commanding tone.

Blake was a bit too distracted to appreciate it. "You want me to look like a business woman?" She tried to picture herself in a business suit, and just couldn't. It wasn't her.

With a practiced ease, Weiss said "no, business types will likely make people nervous. You're trying to get companies to end their abuse. You don't want to look like one of them. I want professional, but relaxed."

Blake's mental image refocused with her now wearing a button up shirt, opened at the neck, and a pair of slacks. It was almost worse than the first image. "I understand what you're saying, and I'll do it because it will help. I won't like it though."

"Oh, I think I can fix that too," Weiss said with the confidence Blake had hoped to inspire in her friend, and was now inclined to regret.

"When?" she asked, sounding beaten, because she was.

"Let's do it Saturday. The sooner we start the faster we'll finish."

There was one other subject to talk about, the one that Blake had been the most distracted by. "What about Ruby? I don't want to monopolize your time."

"I'll talk to her about it. She might come, but if not we can make the trips short." There was stress behind the words. If Ruby said no Blake would talk to her. If she couldn't get Ruby to change her mind she would find an excuse to cancel for this weekend. Her plan may take years to complete, a week wouldn't change much in the scheme of things.

A bell sounded indicating that next classes were going to begin in fifteen minutes. The short talk she had planned went a lot longer than she intended. "We can talk details later," Blake said. "Go save your girlfriend from those wolves we call friends."

Weiss nodded and turned around, walking to the group. Blake noticed a little more of the swagger in Weiss's steps that had been missing before. It wasn't all back, but it was a good start. Reminding her that she had more to offer than a bank account, or fighting, was already providing dividends.

* * *

Blake was fidgety on the ride into town. She had always dressed nicely she thought, and had grown accustomed to what she thought of as her style. The prospect of change was unnerving, as most change was. She might even go so far as to say it was frightening. It was funny, she'd faced down entire packs of Beowulfs by herself without batting an eye yet a new shirt was making her break out in a sweat. It'd be funny to anyone who wasn't her at that moment anyways.

"I can never get bored of this view!" Ruby exclaimed, looking out the window of their transport. Everything was right in the world for her, and Yang was correct: she was more excitable than she had been which was frightening considering what her old level was. "Weiss, come look. I can see the merchant district! That's where we're going to shop, right?"

Weiss let out a big sigh, and pinched the bridge of her nose as if she had hit her last nerve. She had maintained the mood that had so surprised Blake, but her old mannerisms were back in force."Yes. Are you going to be like this all day? Some of us are taking this seriously."

Ruby didn't deflate or look the least bit dejected, but she did slow down. "I am too Weiss. Blake needs the best from us right now, but enjoying the view isn't going to slow the bus down any, so why not enjoy it for the moment?"

"Oh, alright. Just stop bouncing off the walls for a minute and I'll try to enjoy the sights. Fair?" Ruby nodded, and reached out a hand to lead the way, then hugging her girlfriend from behind with that smile she didn't seem to be able to get rid of.

 _They really are good for each other,_ Blake thought. _They are extremes in so many ways which gives them balance, yet they have enough in common that they can relate to each other._ A small smile crossed the corner of her lips, enjoying the sight.

The two lovers stayed that way the rest of the trip, Weiss actually leaning into the embrace after a few minutes, sharing a moment of bliss. Blake wished she could have a similar feeling about then rather than the dread of what was to come.

Looking a lot more relaxed than Blake was, Weiss lead her to the trade district with Ruby in tow. The first store they hit had an assortment of items, none of them where remotely near what Blake would have looked at. In fact she had seen this store before, from the windows, and continued walking without a second thought.

"I thought you said no business suits."

"No, I said it would be a casual type of business suit. Trust me, I've been thinking on this and I'm sure you will like what I came up with. Have a seat, and let me find a couple of items."

Blake did exactly that feeling completely out of her depth. It wasn't that she was against dressing up; she just wasn't sure about this kind of dress. She did trust her friend and she hoped Weiss was right but this shop was full of button up shirts, slacks, and ties. This was _not_ a place she belonged.

Fifteen grueling minutes later Weiss returned with a few sets of pants and shirts, each in multiple sizes. Blake looked at them skeptically. "Try these on and find the ones that fit the best. I picked out these because they won't restrict your movement at all. Look here, here, and here. There are extra panels to allow for high kicks, rolls, and just about any other maneuver you can think of."

Blake watched Weiss point out the spots and had to admit that she was right. She'd be able to fight in these. They wouldn't provide any kind of protection if she was hit, but neither did her current clothes. That's what Aura was for, and her catlike reflexes. Still, it didn't look like 'her.'

Without a word Blake grabbed the clothes and went to the changing rooms. She discovered Weiss was a good judge of sizes quickly. She had picked three sizes of each item, and every time it was the middle size that fit the best. There was a small thrill putting the shirts on she had to admit. They were one-hundred percent silk and the feel of it on her skin made her usual clothes feel like burlap. Looking even more dower than she usually did, she stepped out and waited for the laughter. Ruby at the least would find this suit funny.

Weiss simply nodded. "Not perfect, but it is what I'm going for." As she had predicted Ruby put her hand over her mouth to try not laughing and failed. "Now put your coat on." That surprised Blake. Her leather trench wasn't anything like a suit. It was leather, for starters. It had the button straps on the shoulders for holding gloves, and matching straps around the wrists.

Blake nodded with approval. "It's not the clothes that make a look, it's the accessories. One last item to add to give you an idea of what I'm going for; at least from what they have in this store." Weiss threw something at her and Blake caught it reflexively.

Blake looked at the piece of fabric blankly. A tie? Was Weiss insane? "No, you've reached my limit. If I wanted a noose I'd make it myself."

"It isn't what I want, but they don't have clip-on ties here."

"Clip-on?" she knew what they were, but her brain was still trying to catch up with the concept. Guys wore ties, not girls.

"They look like the real thing," Weiss informed her, unaware of what had just gone through Blake's head. "but it's only held on by a single clip. Someone pulls on it and it'll instantly come off."

It was easier to just let the misunderstanding go. "I see. If they're so good, why don't they have them here?"

"Most people think of them as cheating," Weiss shrugged with a look that told Blake she didn't think much of those people. "or something only a lower class person would use. In other words it's too cheap for their standards."

"Then why do you want me to even try it?" _And why do you want me to dress like a guy?_ she asked mentally.

"It's because I want you to see the full effect that I'm going for. It'll go back to the rack after."

Blake looked at Ruby questioningly, hoping for her opinion. Preferably she was hoping for a reason to get out of this. She was left with only disappointment. "Don't ask me. This is her home turf, and she knows what she's doing."

Trying to decide if Ruby really meant what she was saying, or if she was just being biased, Blake shrugged her shoulders. "I'll trust you and get what you have so far. Put the noose away." Blake handed the tie back to Weiss with obvious disgust. "Go check out while I put some real clothes on."

Ruby started snickering at that, and then answered her scroll as it chimed, Yang's face on its display. "Yes? I think so, we're just shopping. Why? But... That important?" Blake was hearing Yang's voice on the other side (There are advantages to having four ears) and knew that she was laughing the entire time, and not saying a thing. What was Ruby up to? She had been obviously bored for the last half hour, but Blake didn't think she'd leave just because of that. "No, no. As long as I'm gone for a short time it'll be ok." A sour look hit Ruby's face though Blake knew it was an act. When had Ruby become such a good actress? "I assume you got that?" she said to Weiss.

Weiss looked ready to fall apart, but she nodded. Ruby rushed up to her lover and held her, trying to console her. "I'll be as quick as possible," she said, giving her a passionate kiss. "I'm sorry, and I love you." That one Blake believed, and believing in her leader she didn't say a thing to Weiss. She was, however, going to get some answers out of Ruby tonight.

With a wave Ruby was gone. A few minutes later her and Weiss were ready to leave, Blake's clothes in hand, and moved on to their next destination. Weiss certainly knew the trade district well.

Blake reflexively looked at the window and found what she had hoped wasn't there. "Wait."

Weiss stopped and looked back at her friend. "It's already too late to change your mind. We have the expensive items now, so the least you can do is get the couple of items left."

"It isn't that. It's that," Blake said, pointing at a picture of a dog's head with a 'don't' symbol over it.

"So they don't allow pets."

"No, that symbol means they won't serve faunus," Blake advised, feeling a residual feeling of anger and fear from her youth. "It isn't worth going in. Let's just go to the next shop."

"But that's ridiculous. What kind of shop keeper would turn down a paying customer? That's what shop keepers do!"

Blake shook her head sadly. "Not all. Some let their prejudices be greater than their greed."

"I don't believe it. I'll get him to do it. I may not be a Schnee anymore, but they won't know that. They can't afford to piss my family off."

Weiss was swearing. That wasn't good. She was too proper, normally, to reduce herself to such things. "Don't..." it was already too late, as Weiss entered the shop. Not knowing what else to do Blake followed hoping she could get her friend out before she made too much of a scene.

"Of course we have a clip-on tie in that color." the merchant was saying.

"Good, get it for us so I can see how it looks on my friend."

It was only a couple seconds, but feelings too tangled too identify rose up in Blake. She wanted to flee, seeing the disgust on his face. She hadn't tried going into a shop that was run by a bigot since she was a child and she'd learned then what hate looked like. Those childhood fears rooted her to the ground. _I'm not that child anymore. I'm a Huntress. This guy can't hurt me. He is nothing._ she told herself, but that child couldn't be calmed.

"We don't serve animals. Get her out of here before she makes a mess on the floor." Those eyes; She knew he would hurt her if he was given the chance. One foot moved backwards as if she was pushed.

"Her name is Blake, and she is my friend. Don't insult her again," Weiss said levelly, though her anger was clear.

"How nice, you've named your pet," he was looking at Weiss with pity now, as if she was dense. "You're one of the idiots who try to let them think. You know it's a useless act. Either you're disappointed, or they bite the hand that feeds them like the White Fang did."

From Weiss's posture Blake knew she was reaching her limit and soon her temper would be at its boiling point. Finding her voice Blake said "let's go Weiss. He isn't worth it."

"Control your bitch's ungrateful tongue, and get out of my shop faunus lover."

The shopkeeper obviously did not know who or what he was talking to. He was assuming that Weiss was just a girl, and a small one at that, so his bulk would be enough to not only get them to cower, but to hurt them. It was a mistake he regretted immediately as Weiss's temper broke free. In one smooth motion her fist went up, connecting with his chin. His head bounced backwards and he was unconscious as he fell to the ground like so much dead weight.

"Weiss, did you..?"

"He'll live, but he's going to have a headache when he wakes up, which is not enough in my book but any more and the law could be called." She was still seething. Blake on the other hand was used to it. It was depressing, but it was what it was. Leaving the shop Blake shook off the feelings and the memories that had caused them.

"You know, he could call the law already. He didn't do anything wrong. He has the legal right to not provide service if he doesn't want to. You were the one who became aggressive."

"But that's wrong!" she yelled in outrage

Blake felt the need to make a point. "Feel that anger? Imagine how much worse it would feel if he was talking about you like that. Imagine you grew up with it. Imagine if you'd seen friends, family, and lovers beaten for no other reason than you had horns. Think about what it would be like if you were the one getting beaten. Can you understand now why the White Fang became what it did?" She said it calmly, hiding her anger as much as possible, but it burned in her stomach. This is what her friends didn't understand. Couldn't understand, and why the need for equality burned so brightly within her.

"I didn't know..," Weiss said, her anger draining out of her quickly along with most of her energy. "I just thought it was a little snub now and then, maybe a bit of bullying."

"In a way it is," Blake lied for her friend's benefit. If anything the shop keeper had been mild when compared to some. She had seen lynchings for less than this. "Let's go, I'm sure we can find a shop that will have what you're looking for that isn't filled with hate."

Weiss nodded, and headed to the next shop. "It's gotten worse, actually," Blake said, warmed up to the subject. "Because of what the White Fang did many of those who weren't bigoted became scared of us. They lash out for different reasons but the result is the same."

Her teammate nodded her understanding. "This is going to be a lot harder than I thought it would be." She looked at Blake, "but we will do it. We have to." Blake was touched. While Weiss had accepted that not all faunus were scum long ago, she hadn't shown the need to help, not like this.

"Thank you."

Two hours and several shops later, and twice as many shops that wouldn't serve faunus, Weiss was satisfied with the clothes she'd gotten Blake. Each shop with that sign seemed to harden Weiss's resolve a little more. The fun had been taken out of their shopping, so it was a much more mechanical process. Blake didn't protest anything Weiss picked out, and Weiss picked out the minimal items needed to complete one outfit.

Ruby had shown up at some point. She tried to bring the joy back, and failed. Weiss told her what had happened, and with understanding even Ruby fell silent. The view on the trip back went unobserved, though the two lovers embraced each other for mutual support.

This wasn't the world as it should be, but it was the world they lived in. Beacon was a safe harbor. Ozpin was very careful on who was admitted to his Academy, so there at least it was reduced to minor teasing. Blake knew the change of environment to something familiar and safe would do much to improve everyone's mood.


	6. Pick and Choose

**Pick and Choose**

Yang waved to her other teammates as they took the bus (really it was a bullhead, but bus is what they ended up calling it cause why not?) into town. She was still exuberant with the change to Ruby's disposition, but she was anxious about how this day was going to go for her. _I talked about Ruby having a shadow over her; I hope my own shadow didn't show. They'll find out soon enough but today they need to have some fun. I don't want to ruin it if this goes wrong._

What could go wrong came in about fifteen minutes later. Smiling and laughing she ran to Sun, grabbing him around his neck and swinging around joyfully. It was a good thing that Sun was used to it or he would have been flung to the ground. "It's only been a month. I mean, this is cool and everything, but we don't want people to talk." He was smiling of course. Everyone was already talking. 'Team abs' was perfectly aware of everyone's amusement, and the nickname.

"Let them talk, I don't care!" she laughed, forgetting what was to come to enjoy what was now. 'Live in the moment and have fun. Let the future figure its own self out' had been her motto and normally it worked well. It was right now, so she wasn't being proven wrong. She kissed Sun all over his face, working her way down the side. She wondered how far Sun would let her go.

He stepped away the second her lips reached his neck. "Okay, okay. I get that you're excited, and," he made quote marks with his fingers, "'lonely.' So should we get it over with in your room, or just make out here and embarrass everyone who walks by?"

Laughing, Yang replied "why can't we just do both; start with making out, finish with the main event?"

"You're going to suck the life out of me one of these days." He somehow didn't sound like he regretted this fate.

And Yang didn't sound contrite for doing it to him. "Ah, but what a wonderful way to go!"

Sun shook his head smiling. "You have a point."

"Good answer. You're going to get an extra special reward. Now let's get going!"

* * *

In reality it didn't take long, maybe an hour, before they were ready for something a bit more serious. Well, neither of them was ready for something serious, but it was the best time she was likely to get. "You know this is my last semester." she said with her head on his chest, fingers playing little patterns on it.

"Mmmm-hmmm." He was in his usual out to lunch state after sex. He actually was all there, just too relaxed to give any real thought to anything.

Knowing that, Yang just continued. She needed to let him process this and hopefully this way he'd do it without freaking out. "I'm getting job offers already. Some long term, some short."

"Mmm-hmm"

This was harder for her than she expected. This hesitancy was not like her. "I'm going to go with the short term jobs. It'll give me the ability to go to Vacuo, but still come back to Vale."

"Mmm-hmm"

"And Mistral," she added, her nerve starting to fray knowing what was to come. _Damn it, give me something to fight and I'll kick its ass. Give me something that requires tact and I'm fucked._

"You do like to travel." Actual words. He was starting to come out but was still very relaxed. She should hurry up.

Well, let's do it then. "I'm going to Mistral so I can have more time with Neptune as well. Our friendship is evolving, I guess you can say."

"Huh?" that cut through the fog. He was instantly into a sitting position on the bed, looking down in complete surprise.

Yang followed suit, vacating the bed for the nearest chair. It just didn't feel right to be in bed when their relationship was on the line. "Yeah," she said, knowing exactly what she wanted to say. She'd been obsessing on it for the last week. The truth seemed the best route. After all, honesty was what this was all about. "The last time we saw each other me and him ended up making out. I'm not sure how it happened, but it did. It didn't go any further than that, and I am sorry that it happened. That wasn't fair to you." Funny thing about open relationships; most thought it got rid of the possibility of cheating. It didn't, and this was a prime example. Well it would be if they actually were in an open relationship which they weren't. She was ashamed of what she'd done, but there was more and Sun deserved all of it. "The problem is I want it to happen again."

Sun came to the obvious conclusion. "Are you breaking up with me?"

"Absolutely not!" she said, a bit of panic showing in her voice, and a lot of panic in her heart. "And I'm hoping you won't break up with me either, but I'll understand if you do."

"So you want to date both of us at the same time?" He asked incredulously. "I'm pretty laid back, but there's limits here."

"I know, I know, but I'm going to be traveling a lot, and what is a girl supposed to do when she's away?" she said playfully, hoping to keep things from degrading, and knowing it wouldn't do a thing.

"Stay faithful, that's what! Check your libido at the door." He was getting heated, and Yang didn't blame him. The playful route wasn't going to work here. It would make things worse if anything. She'd just told him she just wanted more sex, which was far from the truth.

So on to straight facts. "The last hour is proof that's not going to happen, and besides it's about more than sex." She was being completely honest, but she doubted he would believe her. Yang moved on to the sales pitch. "It's freedom to feel without guilt, or without denial. I think I'm starting to fall for Neptune, and I want to be honest with you about that."

Shaking his head trying to deny what he was hearing he said "I'm not sure I can deal with this... I mean, aren't women supposed to be all about the monogamy? The fantasy of their perfect love and all that romantic stuff?"

Yang was giving the impression of calm. This was actually going better than she'd feared. By her best estimation Sun should have already stormed out of the room. Getting upset, crying, yelling, or any other emotional outburst, would only lose her this debate. "First, let's be realistic. There is no such thing as perfect in anything this world has to offer, including love." That seemed to upset Sun, though not nearly as bad as the main topic. Who knew he would be that much of a romantic?

"I knew about this kind of life when I was pretty young. I'm sure you haven't figured it out. Ruby hasn't, and she grew up in the middle of it." Sun nodded slowly, accepting Yang was going somewhere with this. "You know Ruby and I are half sisters, and born eighteen months apart. Let's do the math. Take nine months off of that time to know about when conception happened and you'd only have nine left. Now let's add how long it took my mom to recover from child birth, about 6 weeks, and assume she disappeared the next day. That's now down to seven and a half months. If my father was completely heartless and just moved on to another woman, a woman who just happened to be on the same team as him and Mom, then maybe. But my dad isn't heartless. So add in the time that would have been spent looking for her, and then time for grief. Not to mention it's unlikely that mom went out and disappeared right after I was born."

She'd been looking Sun in the eye throughout explain where it all started trying to gauge if he believed her at all. She believed he did. My thought back then was he had cheated on my mom. I approached my dad on it at the sweet age of twelve. About the age we start to realize our parents aren't perfect. I was angry and ready for a fight."

"That's when he told me. He was 'married' to both women since before I was born. Not legally of course. The law doesn't allow it, but in every other way. I wouldn't have believed it, but Qrow backed up his story when I asked him. When I started dating is when I realized that I was wired the same way."

"But that's nuts!" Sun looked as if his brain was about to pop. Yang knew she should have started this relationship with this conversation. She thought that she could be normal, at least in this regard. But that didn't happen and now she had to clean up the mess; hopefully without ending things with Sun. It wasn't looking good.

 _My dad would kick my ass if he saw how badly I fucked this up,_ Yang thought to herself. _How often did he tell me to be honest with every aspect of my life with anyone I dated from the very start? That wasn't even advice directed at this lifestyle. He'd told Ruby the same thing._

"That's my family for you. After that I talked to my dad a lot about it. How they did it. The jealousy that cropped up. How hard it could be sometimes, and how rewarding it could be at others. Summer grieved with my dad when my mom disappeared. It's what held him together, and why he fell apart so badly when she died. All of his supports were gone except me and Ruby and that wasn't enough. I know you're supposed to live for your children, but once he knew we were ready to be on our own there was nothing else left for him."

"Okay, okay, hold it for a second. I get you think this is some kind of wonderful thing and that for you it works. That's great." He paused for a second for effect. "For you. It's not for me." And there it was, the reason she hadn't told him before. Most weren't geared for this lifestyle. She hadn't wanted to lose him before she really had him, so she'd tried being something she wasn't. Instead she was probably going to lose him now instead. The heartache was going to be ten times as worse now for both of them.

She had to try to salvage their relationship though, and she certainly wasn't going to lie any longer to either him or herself. She didn't think he'd believe her though. She'd ruined any credibility from the moment they'd started dating and she hid this from him. Pleading now, Yang said, "I know it's not fair, but I am hoping you could be the same. I would like it if you'd find a girl in Vacuo who could make you happy, and enjoy the freedom of never having to choose. I want to know that even when I'm not there another is there to take care of you."

"Pawned off to another woman, that's romantic," he said sourly, obviously hurt.

"No it's not romantic, but it is practical for the lives we live. Any day I could die, or you could die. It's part of the job. I want to know if I die first you'll have someone to help you, like Ruby's mom did for my dad."

Sun got up, starting to get dressed, his face pained. "I guess the thing that is hurting me the most is you had to choose my best friend, of all the people out there, to decide I wasn't enough for you."

"Isn't that to be expected? There's a reason you two get along, I saw the same things." Yang thought it was a bad idea to mention just how _hot_ Neptune was. Being honest had limits.

"I need to think. You just hit me with a heavy load. I want to be angry at you, but I think I understand." Sun shook his head once. "Understanding and accepting are two different things though."

That was more than she had hoped for or dreamed possible. "I know, I expected that. Why do you think I was so eager earlier?" Yang smiled, but her attempt at humor was once again lost to both of them.

Sun left without further word, taking a piece of her heart with it.

"Shit!" She'd completely forgotten. Making a mad grab she got her scroll and called Ruby. She provided the excuse her sister needed to go shopping alone, faking happiness and laughing at Ruby as she answered questions Yang wasn't asking. It was romantic, and Yang was happy for her, and yet... _Well, at least one of us is having their relationship go right. Why am I the freak? Am I being greedy?_

She went to her bed, wishing she was 'normal' like her sister, then fell face forward into it. Sun's scent was still there and she enjoyed it and hoped she would enjoy it again in the future. _No, I'm neither a freak nor greedy,_ She decided. _I'm just different. If Sun can't accept all of me what's the point? I tried denying myself and all it's done is lead to this._

* * *

Sun actively avoided Yang for the rest of the day, and Yang gave him that privacy hoping he was thinking on her proposal. Hoping that he was coming to accept it, but as he said he was care-free but there were limits. Did she cross them irrevocably?

The sun was just starting to set when the rest of her team arrived at their room. They had fewer bags than Yang had expected. Granted Weiss wasn't made of money anymore, but they had enough for more.

"So, get the freshmen to carry in the rest?" She joked, her smile large and she hoped infectious because her team looked like they had returned from a funeral, not a shopping trip.

Ruby answered first, seeming to be the one least affected by whatever had happened in town. "No, this is it. We just wanted to get enough for one suit to start, in case Blake truly hates it."

"What? didn't try it on while shopping?"

"We did. She just took it off after we were done." Ruby's voice was nearly emotionless. "We didn't want to get it dirty and Blake really isn't sure about it, though I think she looks great. Weiss did a good job."

The mood was starting to get to Yang, who was already a bit down to start with. "Okay, spill it already. What happened? I'm not spending the rest of the night with half dead zombies."

"We got an education on how deeply the prejudice against faunus is. It wasn't pretty," Ruby smiled despite her mood. "I heard Weiss knocked one out cold. Wish I'd seen it. They deserved worse." Well that was dark for the always optimistic Ruby.

Blake shook her head. "We're lucky she didn't get arrested for that."

"But it must have felt good watching it," Ruby said, her energy level coming back.

That got Weiss going. "It _felt_ good doing it," she said, in that disapproving voice she was so good at. The one she only gave to those she considered idiots, annoying, or just plain jerks.

Seeing some new life in her friends Yang knew the route to take to improve the mood further. She made jokes at the close mindedness of them, and attached it to their own lacks: from intelligence to their manhood. Soon Ruby was helping with her plan even if she didn't know it. After about an hour they were much more like themselves. Ruby was cuddled up with Weiss in a sitting position on their bed, Blake sitting in a chair a couple of feet away. They were making plans on how to best battle the hate they'd discovered. Yang smiled and bowed out going for a walk. Planning wasn't her strength, but give her something to punch and she was happy.

Beneath the happy façade she was worried about Sun. She knew where he would be; the guest quarters made for visiting families. She wasn't sure if she should go there, or leave him there for the night. Nora intercepted her on her walk around the koi pond. "People only walk around in circles for half an hour if they are upset. So spill it, because I'm not leaving till you do. You know I'll talk circles around you until you let it out anyways, so save us some time and just start." That happy voice of hers conveyed not only the euphoric way her brain worked, but also the confidence that no matter the problem she'd figure out how to take care of it. Problem was she was usually right. She'd even realized that hitting it with a hammer wasn't always a solution. She still tried to get it into the mix though.

"Boy problems, okay?"

"Oooooh. Those are always fun to talk about! You know how me and Ren made a go of it? Now there was boy problems! As in, I didn't like boys though I didn't know it yet. It did explain why me and Ren didn't start dating sooner though, now that I think about it. So where's your problem?"

Yang really wanted to avoid this conversation, but once Nora sank her teeth into something she was going to get it out of her anyways. It was an annoying aspect of her friend that had grown more prominent as the years went by, but one she had learned to accept. Nora always had the best of intentions. None the less, she was going to give short answers and hope that Nora would talk herself out. It was an impossibility, but you never knew. "Just a standard love triangle. Don't worry about it, it'll figure itself out."

"You know you all tried to let love go its natural route with Weiss and Ruby, and that made them be apart for two years beyond when they should have been together."

"A natural route you seemed to take advantage of. How much of those two years is because of you getting it on with my sister?" Yang really was angry about that, but it would also serve to distract Nora. She was prone to that with little effort.

Nora smiled unabashed, lacing her fingers together behind her back as her hips swayed. "I don't think it slowed things down at all. After all, it wasn't like Ruby loved me, but she also wasn't even sure about being gay. If I hadn't gotten involved she'd still be trying to figure out why all the hot boys didn't do anything for her. And before you say it, yeah I could have just walked up to her and started talking to her lesbian to lesbian about it. Try picturing how that conversation would go. Lots of blushing and shutting me out. If anything that would have thrown her deeper into the closet. Really, you should be thanking me for that."

"So instead you seduced her? Smooth."

Still showing no shame Nora laughed. "Actually, I think it was more of a mutual seduction. I left a few hints here and there that we could talk about it. Nothing overt of course 'cause I didn't want her going turtle. I didn't really expect what happened, but I probably should have. How many years of frustrated libido did she have built up?" Finally Nora sighed, showing a bit of frustration for the first time. "Then after the first time I was proven right: the only time she would really open up about it was when we were going at it; for the first few weeks at least. She had a real hang up on how she couldn't be gay. I think she thought it was expected for her to be more like you for some reason. Well, after we got past that the relationship just kept going."

Grudgingly Yang had to admit there was some merit. Not enough by her estimation, but it was done and over with. "You know I was about to kick your ass for it, don't you? For someone who talks so much you really didn't let us in on what was going on."

Still smiling, and her voice even happier, she chirped "As they say 'it's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission.' If I had tried to clear it with the rest of you I'd have been shut down, and you know it. So by the time you all knew what I was doing it was already too late. I'd planted those little hints and it was all over after that." Was she actually bouncing? No, had to be just an illusion from her happy movements. Maybe. "Now I know you were trying to distract me from your problems, but it didn't really work. A love triangle, huh? Sun is obvious, and I'd bet Neptune would be the other."

Seriously, her accuracy was uncanny sometimes. Most times. "What makes you so certain?"

"Your reaction from my guess, for one," she smiled. "Then there's the fact they are best friends so you two have something in common. And lastly Neptune's hot. Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I don't know that. Chemistry happens, and looks help, along with opportunity and you've had all three in abundance. So, you've told Sun already. That's also obvious by the fact he's not out here. Neptune has to know, since you and Sun are such a hot item. The question is will they fight over you?" Nora's eyes suddenly flashed with excitement. "Oh, I hope so! That'd be a great battle to watch, and kinda romantic in a barbaric sort of way."

Yang digested what Nora was saying, surprised at how quickly she'd broken down most of the situation with so little information. She shouldn't have been. Nora just got better at the match making game each year. "There won't be any fighting or I'll kick their asses."

"So who are you going to choose," Nora paused, which was a bit surprising, as she looked at Yang's face closely. "You're _Not!_ Oh, now that's dangerous. You know men and their stupid pride. Challenge their manhood and they instantly get defensive, and both of them ooze testosterone to start with. How are you going to get this fixed, cause it isn't going to fix itself unless breaking up with both is considered fixing it."

Yang stopped dead and looked at her friend. "Nora, anyone ever tell you that you're too perceptive?"

"Nope, they mostly think I'm a bubble head, which is understandable I guess with the way I talk, and how happy I seem. I look like I don't even realize how dangerous a situation is most times, or how upset people are. I never really felt the need to correct that assumption. Ren knows of course, but he's known me forever through bad and good." She was definitely bouncing now. "So, how are you going to fix things?"

"You're the one with all the answers, why don't you tell me?" Yang said bitterly from having all of her troubles forcibly pulled out into the open. She also had to admit that Nora just might have an answer. She seemed to know everything else.

Nora cocked her head to the side, giving the question serious thought. "Well, I wouldn't lay it on Sun all at once. Hints here and there would work better to ease him into it. Make it clear, subtly, you're okay if he had a little something on the side when you weren't around, but I'm betting it's too late for that. You laid it all on his lap all at once I'm sure. So second option is to act like nothing has changed. Be his girl, don't bring it up again until he does. He'll be processing it all, trust me. Probably obsess over it, but he won't talk about it until he's ready. Unless he's past the point of no return, which is possible. Probable really. You really messed up how you handled it, but I guess that's understandable. I doubt you've ever had this problem. If he completely rejects you the best you can hope for is him going back home and falling for another girl, but still loving you. That could get him thinking too, but I wouldn't count on that."

Yang was happy that while both Ruby and Nora could monologue for exceedingly long amounts of time, Nora's was a coherent stream of consciousness where Ruby was about as confusing as possible. It made that last bit possible to follow. "In other words, act like everything's normal and hope for the best?"

"Right," Nora smiled. "Isn't that what I said?"

"I guess you did. Thanks Nora," Yang said with a new appreciation of her friend. Her suggestion was also the right one for another reason: she wouldn't be manipulating Sun or Neptune. They would come to their own decisions and if they were willing she'd be there to talk. And if not she'd have to deal with them not being in her life.

"No problem."

* * *

 _Everything's normal_ , Yang thought. _Nothing's really changed. We can go out, have a bit of fun, and maybe make out, just like normal._ She hoped repeating that in her head would convince her it was true, because she had to convince Sun it was. Knocking on his door, she said loudly "Come on lover-boy, time to get going." Well, she sounded happy at least. She could hear movement, and then the door opened. Sun had an incredulous look on his face. Yang couldn't help laughing at it. "What, do I have something on my face?" she asked good naturedly.

"Uh..."

"Look, I know I laid some heavy shit on you earlier, but that doesn't mean we can't go out and have some fun, does it? I hear the first years are doing a bit of sparring in the auditorium. Could be fun, but don't laugh too hard. They have sensitive egos at their age."

"You're impossible!" He was exasperated, but he hadn't shut the door in her face yet. That was promising, wasn't it?

 _All is normal_ she repeated to herself. "Yeah, and that's what's so great about me. One of a kind, right here," and she struck a pose that managed to be tough yet seductive.

That got him, a smile hitting his face that he was trying to hide. Failing that he went along with her plan. "Can't deny that. So, noobs huh? Can't promise anything, and you're just as bad!"

"Nah, I'm worse. Let's get going."


	7. Nightmares

**Nightmares**

Ruby shifted in their bed, then shifted again. Her normal snoring stopped, replaced instead by a soft whimper. It wasn't much but this deviation from the norm was enough to wake Weiss. She was usually slow to wake but worry sped up the process. Turning around she saw Ruby rolling around on the bed as much as the limited space allowed, tears rolling from the corner of her eyes. Whatever she was dreaming of was obviously upsetting. Not wanting her to suffer any more she shook Ruby awake gently. "Mom!" her lover yelled as she started awake.

Mom? Weiss knew that Ruby's mom had died when she was very young. She thought Ruby didn't remember her. Now she needed to reassess that assumption. "Are you okay?" Weiss asked, trying to keep the tone of annoyance out of her voice that came so easily for her. She wasn't annoyed, she was concerned. "You were having a nightmare." Ruby nodded in a not quite awake sort of way. "Do you want to talk about it?" Ruby shook her head no. "Okay, come here then. I want to hold you." And Ruby did for the rest of the night, burying her head into Weiss's shoulder. Whatever that dream had been about, it had really shaken her girlfriend. She was never this quiet.

Worry kept Weiss awake past when Ruby was asleep again. She ran her fingers through Ruby's hair, and looked down. Weiss's face still had a cold yet oddly beautiful cast to it normally, like a snowflake. That night the snowflake melted. A week of dating her is all it had taken for Ruby to affect this change, which amazed Weiss. She was happy again. Happier than she had ever been, even counting the last three glorious years with her team. Of course in the morning Weiss was going to return to normal. It was a bit perverse but Weiss liked the frosty persona in everyday life. It felt safe and was a great way to manipulate a situation. If she said something cutting to get to the heart of the issue, well that was just Weiss being Weiss. At this moment however there was no one to see under her cold mask. Someday she may allow it to stay off, at least for Ruby. Especially for Ruby. These are the thoughts that kept her awake that night as she comforted the center of her world that was unaware of that tenderness while she dreamed.

The night affected Weiss's day however. It was expected for Yang to be half conscious with Sun in town. She was actually remarkably awake if a bit less cheerful than normal. Weiss, on the other hand, required twice as much coffee as her normal in order to speak complete sentences, and another couple so those sentences were civil. Ruby laughing at her the entire time didn't help. Damn morning people. "It's your fault you twit; waking me up in the middle of the night, and then snoring through the rest of it. The least you could do is shut up and get me some more coffee." It wasn't really true that Ruby's snoring had kept her up. She'd gotten used to that years ago though having it right next to her ear was a new experience. The real reason went unmentioned. None of them needed to know, particularly Ruby.

Ruby saluted her. "On the double, ma'am. Do you have any other orders before I go Ma'am?" This only elicited a growl from her. Ruby giggled as she headed to their coffee maker for another cup.

When Ruby returned Weiss grabbed the back of her neck pulling her down for a kiss. "I hate you."

"I can tell," she snickered.

"Dolt."

Her girlfriend's smile was almost infectious, like Weiss had proclaimed her undying love. "Your Dolt."

"God help me, yes." She couldn't get herself to sound upset by this though, and she was trying.

The rest of the day progressed in a sleepy blur. She caught quick naps between classes, and got class notes from the only person she trusted to take decent ones: Blake. Ruby was always hovering near her when she could; making sure she got up before being late to the next class; giving neck massages and providing a steady stream of energy drinks; and generally over compensating for her guilt. It was impossible for Weiss not to know how guilty she felt; even though there wasn't anything she could have done different. During one of the few times she didn't share a class with Ruby, Weiss slipped a note to Blake asking if Yang and her could avoid their room after classes. Blake read it, and then nodded slightly while seeming to pay complete attention to the teacher.

After classes Weiss was glad that her friends had done as she'd asked. Ruby was starting to drive her insane and she wasn't sure what she was going to say. Nothing that would be for their ears was a strong possibility. Ruby didn't even see it coming. "You're being a nit-wit you know."

"You think that all the time Weiss." Ruby was trying to around to give her another massage, but Weiss moved to avoid it. This needed to be talked about first.

"Yes, but today you are really pushing the boundaries," she said, sounding peeved. Well she was! "Stop acting like all my problems today has been your fault."

"But Weiss, they have been," Ruby said with misplaced guilt. "If I hadn't woken you up you'd be your normal grouchy self, not this groggy grouchy self. You couldn't even insult Cardin and make it stick and he's an easy target."

The guilt was what had prompted Weiss to start this talk. Seeing more of it didn't help her mood any. "I wasn't awake today, but there isn't anything that you could have done to stop that from happening. You haven't slept with anyone over night, have you?" Ruby shook her head. "Well I have, many times, and all of them were rough at first as we got used to each other. Neptune used to take over the bed, Rice stole the covers, and Alvin punched in his sleep. That one didn't last past the first night because I punched back. And now there's you. I'll adjust to you, and you'll adjust to me."

Ruby looked petulant. "It's not fair that you should wait."

"Stop it! Just stop it already! Ruby, you don't need to take all the responsibility on your shoulders for everything. If this relationship is going to work you're going to have to accept that not only are you and I a team, but we're equal partners in it for both the good and the bad." If Weiss had been paying close attention she'd have noticed Ruby flinch at those words. Instead she realized that voice was coming out again. The temperamental angry voice that went up one octave and sent shivers down people's spines. Realizing it she took a deep breath to calm down, then continued. "This is the first night we've had any problems, and it's not like you're going to have a nightmare again anytime soon. This was the first, and probably won't happen again for a long time." Weiss stared directly at Ruby as if trying to pull the information out of her with sight alone. "Though I would like to know what in that dream had upset you so badly. That's not like you."

Ruby avoided eye contact, turning her head. That was an obvious tell that there was something serious going on; something that she wasn't willing or able to tell her girlfriend. Possibly anyone. Yang knew Ruby the best, so Weiss resolved to talk to her about it. It was obvious that she wasn't going to get anything from Ruby.

Two nights later the night replayed itself, and then again after two more. Weiss appealed to Yang as she had planned, but Ruby's sister came back with the same answers that Weiss had gotten. "I'm okay, don't worry. Just a few nightmares. They'll pass, okay?" None of her teammates believed her.

"You know, this isn't the first time she's had nightmares like this," Yang told Weiss in the hall between classes, Ruby once again heading off to a separate class. Weiss felt sorry for her, but Headmaster Ozpin insisted that she learned CQC, or Close Quarters Combat, to round out her fighting style. Weiss completely agreed with the decision no matter how hard it was on Ruby. At night Weiss found bruises in interesting spots on her lover. Ruby's teacher obviously wasn't going easy on her.

"Do you know why it was happening before?" Weiss asked.

"No, it was pretty much like this. She would just say it wasn't any big deal and go back to sleep. It happened a couple of times a week that we knew of, but I'm sure there were more." Yang stopped for a second, then continued, "Then one day she went out without telling us. She was gone for two days. Dad was beside himself and I was searching the woods every chance I had. After those two days she returned and was back to her old self. We still don't know where she disappeared too, dad even grounded her and Ruby wouldn't say."

"Do you think she'll do it again? Disappear?"

"Yeah, I do. If it was a specific spot she went she'll be gone longer than two days because we're far from home, so I'm hoping she just went out for a walk to clear her head last time. I don't know for sure though."

After that conversation Weiss couldn't get a deep sleep, afraid that at any moment Ruby would walk off without a word. It started to show in her studies; how she interacted with her friends; and how she made those she didn't like suffer from her scathing tongue. She couldn't help it. She was quickly reaching her limit. The only person spared was the one who had her in this state: Ruby. She didn't want her lover to feel guilty again. She definitely didn't want her to know that she was being watched at night out of fear that she might disappear.

Weiss tried to convince herself that she was overreacting and that it would resolve itself. To put it mildly it didn't work. If anything it served to make her more obsessed. Both Blake and Yang tried to get her to relax and sleep, but were completely unsuccessful until they agreed to watch Ruby in shifts, each taking a different day. Every night it was the same thing though. When Ruby started moving from her dreams Weiss would instantly wake up to make sure she was okay.

A week later is when it happened, but not how Weiss expected it. Weiss was getting a deep sleep for the first time since the nightmares started. Her exhaustion finally overpowered her anxiety. Ruby woke her up, but this time it wasn't from a nightmare. A slight shaking was all it took. As soon as it registered to her sleeping mind she was awake. Ruby was already fully dressed, Crescent Rose included. Weiss gave an accusing look at Yang's bed since it was her night to keep watch on Ruby. The position the sentry was laying wasn't a natural one.

"Don't be angry with her. I switched out the coffee she was using to stay awake with something that would make her sleep. She's going to be really mad in the morning," Ruby said in hushed tones.

Weiss tried to give a look that said "what are you doing?" It must have been close enough.

"I need to go or the nightmares won't end. They're getting worse each time now. I won't be good until I get things fixed, and neither will you. I know what you three have been up too, and I know you've been carrying most of it." Ruby leaned in for a kiss. "Thank you."

"You can't..."

"I can, and I will," Ruby said as passionately as she could in a near whisper. "but I knew you'd blame yourself if I did it while you slept."

"But..."

"I also knew you weren't going to let me leave easily." She nodded towards the clothes at the foot of the bed, all of them hers including Myrtenaster. "So come with me. I need you to come, actually. I don't think this will do any good without you." Weiss shook her head no, and Ruby made a face of frustration. "At least this way you know I have someone watching my back. And again, you can't stop me. You can't watch me every minute of every day, and with my semblance ten seconds is all I need. You know it."

She was right, and Weiss hated it. "What about them?" She looked over at Yang's unconscious form and Blake's empty bunk.

"I've already written a note." Ruby said in a matter of fact tone. "It's on Yang's desk and a copy near the coffee pot, just to make sure they don't miss it."

She'd waited till the day Blake was out on patrol, so once Yang was drugged only Weiss was there to stop her. And apparently she needed Weiss. "You've thought of everything, haven't you?" The anger at being manipulated was palpable, but she was also resigned to following Ruby's plan.

Ruby smiled, though there was sadness around the edges. "I wouldn't be much of a team leader if I didn't plan ahead, would I?"

Not knowing what else to do, Weiss quietly got up and dressed. She didn't have to worry too hard about waking Yang. She knew that even pulling out some of Yang's hair wouldn't wake her if Ruby had drugged her. Yang was already a deep sleeper as it was. The last piece on was her cloak, which she did with both joy and bitterness. Its closeness felt as if Ruby was hugging her. It was also the last act that cemented her commitment to leave.

 _Yang's going to be mad in the morning, that's for sure,_ she thought. _It's just a question of who she's going to want to kill first._

Ruby walked with purpose through the deserted halls of the academy. After a while Weiss realized they were heading to the hangers where the transports were. _Surely she's not going to try stealing a bus, is she?_ she asked herself. But that was exactly what Ruby had in mind. One of the transports already had its hatch opened, and Weiss balked. "Are you trying to get us expelled?"

"I cleared this with Ozpin, don't worry."

Pure shock hit her. "You what?" Weiss wasn't sure what to think, but surely the headmaster wouldn't allow this!

"I told him I was going back to Patch for family business. He didn't believe me, but he knew I'd go no matter what. Because I'm flight trained now he arranged for me to go. I just needed to make it back to classes in time. He does give us more leeway than most after what we did in our freshman year, so I wasn't surprised." That was the most she'd spoken all night, and Weiss knew it was just so she could get her on the bullhead quickly.

Overwhelmed Weiss asked "Ruby, what's so important that you are going through all of this?"

If she'd hoped for a clear answer those hopes died when Ruby said "I can't tell you; I need to show you. Can you trust me that long?"

Weiss sighed, giving up on getting any usable information from her girlfriend. "Okay. You're going to owe me after this though."

Quietly, "I know." More of the sadness was showing and Weiss didn't know what to make of it. Seeing Ruby unhappy was like seeing a siren refuse to sing. It just didn't happen.

Some small part of Weiss's brain was realizing that even Yang had not been trusted to come with her the last time. What was driving her and why was it important that Weiss was with her? Then she suddenly remembered the first nightmare, and ruby yelling 'Mom.' This was all tied to Summer Rose somehow she realized, and it also had to be tied to her. This was all insane.

Ruby remained silent the entire flight, which was unnerving to Weiss. For the first time since they met Weiss had to carry the conversation if she wanted to talk. She tried again to find out what was going on, but those questions were met with silence. Since that was the only thing on Weiss's mind, as her worry started to consume her, the flight was only interrupted by the sound of the engines.

They landed at a hanger near Signal Academy. Ruby gave the tower all the proper information and was guided in. It was obvious that they were expected. This was a new location for her, but Ruby had gone to school here before being accepted at Beacon. She knew it almost as well as she knew her current school. "I called my uncle Qrow. He's still a teacher here so he used his pull to get us in this far." She was looking for something in the darkness, and then smiled when she found it. "He doesn't know what's going on, but he trusts me." She got on an atv. The keys were already in the ignition. "This will make the trip much faster, but keep your eyes open. The noise will attract beowulfs."

Weiss didn't need to be told that, but she knew Ruby was mainly talking on autopilot. It was a good thing that Ruby had that mode or she would have gone nuts figuring out what was going on. Not that she knew what was going on but at least she knew how her girlfriend was getting away with all of this.

"How long have you been planning this?" Weiss suddenly asked realizing this wasn't something she had put together on the fly."

"Last week, after the first nightmare."

Weiss was angry knowing that Ruby, the person she trusted the most on Remnant, had been working behind her back. That was outweighed by the worry. Her love had to have pulled every favor she owed to her in desperation.

Ruby had been true to her word about the beowulfs, and a couple nevermores thrown in for spice. It was nothing that the two highly trained fighters couldn't handle, but it did slow them down. They got to their destination near noon. It was a beautiful cliff side. The view was spectacular with Signal visible in the distant. You would never guess there was grimm in the woods below. On the cliff itself there was a single stone marker, and Weiss grew fearful as she realized what it was.

"Ruby... why?"

"I had to. You had to meet her. In my nightmares I saw her die again and again. I've seen some horrible carnage in our training outside of Vale. We both have, so you can understand how that fueled my imagination making her death worse each time it played out. When it really happened I hadn't been there. I'd been too young to go outside alone let alone out to one of her missions, but in the dreams I was there and unable to stop it." Ruby's tears were thicker than Weiss had ever seen on her lover, and her face was twisted with pain that Weiss remembered too well. It was the same pain she'd felt when she'd lost her mother. "But there were other dreams when she would be fine and talk to me. I know it's my imagination gone wild so don't worry about that, but in them she wanted to meet you." She paused, taking a breath. "I thought it over the next day when I was trying to take care of you, trying to understand why I kept dreamed that last part. I was used to the scenes of death. Well as accustomed as you can be seeing your mom ripped apart. But not those calm talks. I realized I felt I was betraying her memory in a way, because you made me so happy that I could let go of the pain. I could really be happy."

Weiss was speechless. When they had professed their feelings she had thought they understood the other's pain. Now she knew that her pain was nothing compared to her girlfriend's.

Silently Ruby grabbed her hand and pulled her to Summer's grave stone. Quietly she cleaned it off, though it was obviously visited regularly because of the lack of weeds. There was only some dust and leaves." Mom, I want you to meet Weiss. She's been making me very happy lately. I think you'll like her."

Touched didn't come close to expressing the emotions flowing through Weiss at that moment. Even the Ice Queen she had been at her worse would have melted to this display of love. This was something sacred to Ruby, and she not only wanted her there, she needed her there. Needed her to meet a mother she probably didn't even remember. What do you say to that? What do you say to either of them?

You tell them the truth.

Weiss went to her knees and touched the gravestone tenderly. "Hello Summer. You have a great daughter, even when she is being a dolt. I'll take good care of her, I promise you with all my heart." Tears love and sadness tracing their way down her face. She looked up at the woman who was defeating every aspect of her sorrow, and tried to take on some of Ruby's the only way she could think of. "Come here, and tell me about your Mother. I want to know everything."

And Ruby did, sharing the joy, the pain, and the loneliness. She let Weiss in deeper than she had allowed any other person in her life, even Yang.


	8. Hatching the Plan

**Hatching the plan  
**

Blake was getting itchy. After the shopping trip she hadn't done anything to get White Fang back together and under her banner. She had hoped to get Weiss's help, but she was so fixated on Ruby and her nightmares since they started three days ago that that wasn't going to happen. Weiss could hardly hold a coherent conversation let alone think out complicated plans.

She felt completely out of her depth, but figured any motion was better than no motion at all. Weiss had given her a lot of tips on how to manage crowds from her own training as the future CEO of Schnee Dust Company. It must have hurt her to go back to those memories, but she'd been determined to help Blake. Grouchy, but determined.

That Saturday Blake started by putting on her "work clothes." She hated to admit it, but she was actually starting to like the look, especially the hair. She was seen wearing the jacket, belt, boots and fingerless gloves almost daily. It gave her a small thrill because she knew it had a slight intimidation factor. She wasn't going for intimidation tonight though, so she put on the rest of the clothes that went with it. She looked into the mirror and turned this way and that to be sure everything was in the right place. It was easier to put on than her bodice had been, but it was still new enough that she wanted to be sure. The fact the silk shirt rubbed against her skin in new ways had nothing to do with it.

"You sure you don't want back-up?" Yang asked a bit anxiously eying the clothes her next battle would be Blake's last from the restricted movement.

"I'm sure," she said as she put Gambol Shroud where it belonged on her back. "Besides, it's your turn to watch Ruby."

Finished getting ready, Yang let out a long whistle. "Gotta admit, Weiss knows her fashion. You look good girl."

"I look like a cross dresser," Blake griped

Yang chuckled. "Not with your curves. You are definitely all woman. Hope you don't get in a fight though. You'd bust all the seams that thing has."

"No, it's quite comfortable actually. Weiss made sure that I only got clothes I could move in." Yang made a face that clearly said 'yeah right.' Blake ignored it. "Wish me luck."

"All I can and then some."

* * *

Making her way through town Blake headed directly to the warehouse she'd found the last group. They would be the best start of the five groups she hoped to get to today. They gave her the most hope for the future of their cause. Last time she had entered quietly, making her way to the back inconspicuously. She'd gone unnoticed for who she was, and that's what she had wanted then.

This time she wanted a bit more theatrics. She intended to be noticed. It's hard to not be when you walk directly to the faunus standing in the center. He was doing his best to lead the discussion, and failing. A natural introvert, being put in the center of attention was taxing on her, but it wasn't impossible. She'd need to read a book in a corner after this she knew, to recharge her emotional batteries. For everyone watching her enter they would have never known. She looked cool, confident, and in control of everything she wanted to be. Weiss had schooled her in this act for several days until she was proclaimed 'adequate.'

The room had been rowdy before she showed herself, arguing about what to do next. They were more desperate this time, each trying to get an idea, any idea, which might work. As she walked forward and more people noticed her approach they grew silent. The ones that didn't recognize her got whispered to. By the time she reached the center everyone knew who she was.

This could go very badly from this point depending on if they thought of her as the cause of all their problems. The answer came from the moderator, who approached her. "We don't mean any harm. Please don't..," he started fearfully.

It was not the best start, but it wasn't the worst either. "Easy. I'm not here to cause problems. I'm here to help."

"Help?" he asked incredulously.

This was going to go better than she hoped she realized. "Yes, help. I have plans, and I need to bring the Fang back together to make it work. To make us equals in the eyes of the humans."

From about mid-way up a beer bottle flew towards her. She wasn't surprised by it and simply moved her head six inches to the side so it missed. "You killed Adam! You ruined us!" the attacker screamed, sounding shocked that not only was she foolish to show herself, but that the rest of the faunus hadn't risen to help him.

Blake had expected that also. If anything she was surprised not more had started throwing whatever they had at hand. Expecting it didn't ease the pain that it caused though. She'd tried to come to terms with that night. She thought she had several times over the years, but she hadn't. Not truly. He had been her first love. There was no getting past that, no matter that it had been necessary. That if she hadn't, he would have killed her instead. It was a wound that would scab over, but not heal. When picked at it would once again bleed. And right now, it bled. This wasn't a time for tears though.

Without a single sign of the inward turmoil ravaging her, Blake didn't deny the truth. There was no point. "Yes, I killed him, but I was not the cause of the White Fang's fall. He was. Remember the road he had taken us. Do you think that the united armies wouldn't have wiped out every last member? Now I'm here to finish the job I started. I will save the White Fang by bringing us back together."

Another Faunus yelled "Impossible. We've tried, and each time it falls apart."

"Unsurprising. I'd expect that to happen, actually. By the end Adam controlled every aspect of White Fang. When he died there was no one to take up the reins, and then some started claiming they had the right to succeed him. Worse were the ones who tried to take control by force. I'm guessing it was like a civil war, and the rifts it created are not going to go away."

She paused. Silence. Good, they were at least listening.

"If nothing changes, the White Fang is dead. My brothers and sisters will be lost to Human prejudice for another hundred years. You all know it's true, or you would not be here trying to find a path to success." How many times had she stood in front of the mirror preparing this speech? She was hoping it was time well spent right about now, because here came the point where she just might become the center of a riot. "What we need to resurrect the Fang is someone every cell would follow. I'm that person."

It went from dead silence to an uproar. Each person screamed their opinions, most of them negative. Words like 'usurper,' 'traitor,' and comparing her ancestry with things that could barely be considered animal. Weiss had told her to expect that, and what to do when it happened. She stood impassively, feet shoulder length apart, back strait, hands at her side, and looking strong yet non-confrontational. She let the crowd scream until they ran out of breath, energy, or anger to continue.

When she was again surrounded by silence she began again, still in reasonable tones. "Does anyone disagree with my logic that what is needed is a strong leader?" A bit of grumbling could be heard, mostly agreeing she was right on that point at least. "Who would you follow then? There is a group to the west. They have a strong leader named Thompson. Would you follow him?"

That got a reaction! Anger mostly, but some were frightened by the prospect. "He's a good man. He has the Faunus's best interests at heart. I have listened to him and his group in the same way I listened to you. With him there could be peace."

The yelling didn't slow down at this assessment by Blake, but she wasn't lying. If people would follow him, Thompson would make a good leader. She also knew that the bad blood between the two ran deep.

Once again Blake waited till they yelled themselves out."Okay, how about to the east. There's Glenn. He might not be as strong, but he's peaceful."

A yell sounded from about the same level as the bottle that had been thrown earlier. "He's a Wimp!" and everyone laughed. Blake shared that assessment as well, if not quite so crudely put.

One more name to make her point. "What about your own leader, Simon?" That was met with hushed silence. Simon was a good orator, which is how he'd gotten control here, but he wasn't a leader. He had no plan or direction, and no one's respect outside of this cell. Everyone knew that, even Simon, but no one wanted to say it and possibly insult him.

"I see. So then, who do you think could bring our brothers and sisters back together then?" she rounded back into her power play. "Yes, I could be seen as the source of all of your problems, but I can also be viewed as the savior. Either way I _will_ be viewed and recognized. My skills will never be questions by any of you. Above all of that I am a fully trained Huntress; the very definition of a hero in everyone's eyes human or faunus. I will raise us up, and I will bring our message to the humans in a way that they will respect us, not dismiss us or fear us."

A heavy silence was met by her words filled with uncertainty. They had heard her out, and truly listened to her arguments without dismissing them with their anger. No point in pushing harder. Next was to bring them proof. "I do not ask that you decide now. I ask that you consider it and to see the validity of my claims when other cells contact you with my message. Decide then how strong my claim to leadership is." She let that set in for a second, and then started to leave with smooth military precision to her step. This started another out crying. Some asking questions hopefully, some screaming obscenities. Blake ignored them all as she reached the exit. They needed to talk it out amongst themselves. As long as she stayed they would be too afraid or too angry to do it honestly.

* * *

"What should we do?" an anxious voice asked, watching Blake leave the warehouse.

Calmly another voice replied from the shadows "We watch, and we wait."

"But is that wise?" the first voice said with true fear as Blake walked around a corner and out of sight.

"It is." Again it was said with calm, and now with a hint of steel.

* * *

Reaction had set in almost as soon as she left the warehouse. It took a half hour to calm her anxiety, and start to feel the least bit normal. That was also how long it took to get to her next destination.

The next cell held their meetings in a middle class suburban house. It looked perfectly normal among all the other houses, and the occupants looked human to the casual observer. They were among the small percentage of faunus who's animal attributes were not obvious unless they wanted them to be.

She hadn't gone in last time she had been here because there was no way to do so and stick to the shadows at the same time. She will be recognized when she comes in and there was no way to avoid it. Her mission tonight wasn't to gather intelligence though, it was to negotiate. She knocked on the door using the pattern that indicated she belonged. The door opened to the owner of the house. The open hatred he showed upon seeing her was the only warning as he screamed "Bitch," and tackled her.

Blake took the blow. Grabbing him from behind she kept his shoulder pinned to her gut as they went backwards. Hitting the ground, she used their momentum to roll. They ended with her looking down at him as she straddled his body. While he was stunned she delivered a palm strike that knocked him out.

A small part of her mind noted that her clothes were exactly as Weiss had promised in combat. She also saw that this faunus had claws. Bits of leather were now under them. If it hadn't been reinforced that would likely have been her skin instead. Another thing to thank Weiss for the next time she saw her. The list was getting to be quite long.

She didn't have much time for thought. Jumping to her feet she already had two attackers bearing down on her. Luckily for her not everyone recognized her as quickly and needed to be told who she was. Otherwise they would have come at her en masse and overwhelmed her. She could still fight her way free even in those odds, but not without risking deadly force. She wanted to avoid that if possible.

Using dust she had gotten from Weiss in conjunction with her semblance, she leaped back and left an ice copy of herself in her place. She timed it perfectly as both of her attackers found themselves stuck wrist deep in that sculpture.

The next four were now on her. She combined acrobatics with her semblance in a way that was almost second nature. "None of you are a match for me," she said between maneuvers. She was easily avoiding each attack and making it obvious. It was unlikely but she hoped it would make them realize they couldn't win and stop. "I don't want to hurt you. I just wish to talk." she reasoned to them.

"We don't want to hear you, traitor!" This one had just left the house. He wore a grimm mask. At the sight she knew this cell was a lost cause. The grimm mask had been introduced by Adam and was a symbol of open bloody rebellion against humanity. "Very well." With a heavy heart she back flipped out of combat, this time leaving a stone copy which several of her attackers either hit or ran into. She turned and walked away. One tried to stop her. He was left gasping for breath when her foot buried itself in his stomach. No one else tried to stop her after that.

When she was out of earshot she called Velvet, her point of contact, to tell her of this cell. She couldn't afford for them to disappear before the morning. The cute rabbit eared faunus would make sure the authorities would be at their door within fifteen minutes in riot gear. Given the damage Blake had done already they wouldn't be leaving before then.

She wanted her people to rise up, but letting the feral portion do it would just continue Adam's legacy. She couldn't allow that. Ozpin and Glynda understood that, which is why they had given their support. Velvet had volunteered. She reported to Glynda while Blake was in the field if something went badly, and to the police in situations like this.

She'd had a planned route to get to all five cells in a single night, assuming each time she approached a cell it went smoothly. The third one had been run by the one she identified as Glenn before. When she got there she was met by bodies. The bruising and unnatural positions told her it had been done by large blunt objects like baseball bats. On one wall there was graffiti in large letters. "All feral animals should be put down." Anger rose, intensified by frustration, and motivating her to push harder and faster. She concentrated her Aura around her fist to protect it and punched one of the brick walls. The feeling of the brick cracking under her fist was satisfying and helped balance her emotions.

Getting her scroll out, she called Velvet. "Bad news. Have the cops come to the third location, and have them bring the coroner and forensics." In hindsight she regretted punching the wall; contamination of a crime scene and all that. Velvet may be a bad-ass, but she was also a sensitive soul. The news upset her and Blake felt bad to have to give it.

As a murder scene Blake had to wait to give a statement which slowed her down. She only had time for one more cell after the delay. She chose Thompson's group. He was a hothead, which was part of why no other cell would follow him, but it was fueled by his passion. She hoped she could use that passion to draw him in.

This group met in a park in a dark area that only a Faunus's dark vision could see clearly. She walked up to them in the same way she had with Simon's, going directly to the leader. As with her previous approaches there was instant recognition by many, and those that didn't were told. Several of them rose from their sitting positions ready to attack. "You four, sit your asses down, _now!_ " Thompson roared. He had a lion's mane with the canines to match. It was easy to see why he commanded such respect. The ones who had stood dropped back to their seats as quickly as they could.

"Blake Belladonna. What do we owe this pleasure?" he said with what looked to be a real smile.

There were two ways this could have gone, this was the one she had hoped for. "I want to talk. I'm trying to bring our brother's and sister's back together, to claim our right to equality."

One of his followers looked ready to say something to that. A glance from Thompson was all it took to silence him before he started. "How do you think you're going to get that to happen? We're not exactly getting along with each other right now. I tried. They seemed to think I was too aggressive."

"They thought you were a brute and a bully."

That got a grin. "That too."

Thompson was neither, Blake knew. Brash and temperamental, but not dumb enough to be called a brute, and no quality that made him a bully. He was, however, a man who wanted things to the point. If she could convince him, she'd have everyone else in this park without question. "I'm taking the reins and calling the shots. There isn't anyone else the Fang would all agree on. You're smarter than they think. You know it's true."

"So, the lost kitten who became Adam's lover, and killer, wants to run things?"

"I don't want to. I have to."

Tilting his head back Thompson let out a great laugh. "Okay."

She knew Thompson was straightforward, but she hadn't expected it to be that easy. "Okay?"

"You made the best argument I've heard. Worse case is you fail, in which case we'll just go back to how it's been until someone else can do the job."

That was hardly a resounding endorsement, but it was enough. "Okay. Contact Simon's group and let him know you're in. He's on the fence but if I can show him I got others ready to work with me I think his group will come in next."

"I would try Glenn next," he said helpfully.

Blake looked down at the ground sadly. "I went to him before you. They were all dead."

The lion aspects he showed were nothing to the lion's roar that tore through his throat in anger. "Who!"

She needed to stop him before he started. "Calm down. I don't know and going half cocked won't accomplish anything."

"It'll feel good," he growled

"You just agreed to fallow my orders. So back down," she said with authority. Blake didn't give any more argument than that. If she argued the point he would lose respect of her as a leader, and she could not afford that. Not after just getting that position.

He followed the order. He was obviously still angry, but he relaxed. "Talk to Simon," she told him. "I will work on getting more of us, understood?"

"Yeah, I got it." No, he definitely wasn't happy. That passion would prove to be a double edged sword she realized.

Heading home she reflected. It had been a mix of failures and successes tonight. It was a start. Tomorrow she would be keeping watch over Ruby, and then there was the need to get enough sleep for classes the rest of the week. Her next reasonable chance was next weekend. It was slow progress, but it was progress none the less.

And none of it would mean anything if she didn't come up with a decent plan to get things done. A leader without a plan wasn't a leader at all.

She now had a whole new respect for Ruby as the feeling of responsibility wrapped itself around her shoulders, and they bowed under its weight.


	9. Fun and Games

**Fun and Games**

"I'm going to fucking kill them!" Yang screamed.

Blake took another sniff of the coffee. It wasn't what she smelled, it's what she didn't. The coffee didn't smell as strong as it should have. Most espionage drugs were odorless, colorless, and tasteless. That made it about the same as water, and this coffee was definitely watered down. "Drugged," Blake said simply.

"Of course I was fucking drugged!" Yang screamed again along with an excessive, and creative, use of swear words.

Blake waited it out. After about five minutes Blake felt safe to speak again as Yang's eyes returned to their natural color. "You knew it was going to happen eventually. At least she brought Weiss. She isn't alone."

Still breathing hard from all the yelling, Yang nodded. "Not sure who I should kill first: Ruby for leaving, or Weiss for going along with it." It was said calmly, or at least calmer than before.

"Weiss probably didn't have a choice in the matter. I was gone looking for more cells, and you were unconscious. She couldn't exactly yell for help."

"Yeah, I suppose. Guess I'll merely skin her." There was humor in that one. Not a lot, but enough.

She waited a bit more before approaching Yang. It wasn't that she was insensitive to the fact Ruby had run away. It was that there was nothing that they could do. Yang was the one she could help. A distraction was needed for the day or she was going to do damage to something. First to set her idea up. "Any chance of finding her?"

"No. Nothing in either of these notes give a clue where she's going. No way of tracking her either. It's useless." She threw the papers away from her in annoyance.

Of course she already knew that. It was a good thing Yang was still frustrated or she'd know she was being steered. "So we wait?"

With resignation Yang said "we wait."

Well, now to direct the conversation to something constructive. "I could use your help then while we wait."

Yang's eyes looked at her with a hint of anger, and then deflated. "Sure, why not. Whatcha need?"

A slight smile crossed Blake's face. Seeing her friend in all of her phases in the span fifteen minutes was amusing. "Do you still have contacts on the bad side of town?"

"Junior's still scared shitless of me," she grinned "if that's what you mean. Why, what do you need?"

"Information, and he might have it," Blake stated. "I'm running out of places to find pieces of White Fang." That wasn't entirely true. Now that Thompson and Simon were on board they were giving her leads to other groups. The pieces of White Fang may not like each other, but that only gave them more incentive to keep tabs on each other. Junior might have information on groups that had hidden from everyone, even other cells, so this wasn't a complete waste of Yang's time.

Yang nodded. "He might have something." A bright smile hit her face. "It will be fun to see the club again. It's been a few months. I'm sure he has some new goons who haven't learned to leave me alone, and I got some stress to get out of my system."

That was the Yang she wanted. She wasn't nearly as bloodthirsty as Nora. NO ONE was as blood thirsty as Nora, but the blonde brawler none the less took just as much pleasure in fighting. This could go well. Blake hoped so at least. At the very least her friend would destroy something outside of their room, and outside of Beacon for that matter.

* * *

Yang weaved through traffic at a near breakneck speed that bordered on the insane on a normal day. The neck was well beyond broken on her ride that day. She had a lot of steam to blow off, and an adrenaline filled joyride seemed like a good start before the main event at Junior's.

When the siren sounded behind her she chuckled and accelerated. She purposely made sure not to lose them, which she could have done at several points. _They must be new_ , she thought. Most of the force knew her bike on sight. _I might as well break them in then._ The com in her helmet chirped to life after a couple minutes. "Answer," she said.

"Miss Long, I just got a report that a couple of my cruisers are chasing a yellow motorcycle. You wouldn't have any idea who that might be, would you?" a familiar voice asked.

"Captain, I'm sure I have no idea!" she laughed, zinging around a corner, her knee less than an inch from the ground. This area was close to Junior's, which was fortunate. It meant there was little traffic, and even fewer pedestrians in this rough area of town. She could really let loose, to her pursuers dismay. "And It's Yang. I'm old enough to drink, not old enough to be called 'miss.'"

Captain Jake Tapper was obviously enjoying this. His voice was almost laughing as much as Yang's. "Good to know. I think I can delay backup then and see how well they handle this."

Cracking a smile, she asked "rookies?"

"Just out of the academy last week," Jake said with amusement. "They still think they have been properly prepared for what's out there."

She'd made three turns in rapid succession, managing at one point to end up behind them, and then passing them. "Hmmm, well maybe this little chase will be a good learning experience. Shame it's not me of course."

"Of course," he said with obvious irony. "I won't interrupt your time any more. Have a safe drive."

"You know me better than that Jake."

"Yeah, I do."

She led them around the area for another twenty minutes. Her final act was letting them catch up to her. She reached out to place a hand on the front fender of the left car and weaved with it in perfect sync. Then she separated a couple of feet before hitting her breaks without warning. With a wide grin under the visor of her helmet she put her hands up and waited for them to come back to her. Their guns were out, and their hands were shaking from a combination of adrenaline and nerves.

It was time for the big reveal. Yang reached for her helmet, slowly to avoid itchy trigger fingers, and pulled it off. With one shake of her head her hair fell loose, and she smiled at the two police officers as if she was having the time of her life. This didn't come close to qualifying, but it had been fun. "Hello boys," she said cheerfully. They may not recognize the bike, but they had to recognize her. Everyone recognized her.

Her team was heralded as "The best team in a generation," at Beacon, but for the rest of the known world they were the best team ever known. It helps that most people have short memories of course. She knew her history, and she knew what they had done to warrant that belief was nothing by comparison.

Ruby wasn't recognized much; her cloak was. Weiss was easily picked out but was better known for her connection with the SDC. Blake, of course, actively avoided the attention. That left Yang, and she basked in the spotlight. She pulled the attention off the rest of the team who preferred to be left in anonymity.

The fame was unavoidable after curbing the worse grimm incursion in known history. Well, that's what they said anyways. There was a lot more to it, and most of it was Jaune's excellent attack strategies and six other teams. RWBY was the best at adapting to changes on the battle field though. So they were put to spearhead the operation, making them the ones who were seen by the cameras. That's all the newsies needed. Instant stardom followed. The fact that of the four her fighting style was, quite literally, the flashiest with her flaming attacks only helped her capture the attention.

"Yang Xaio Long!" one yelled, dropping his gun in shock.

The other was a bit more composed. He holstered his weapon before squeaking like a schoolgirl with excitement.

Fame had its advantages. "Want an autograph boys?" she said with a wink and a winning smile. She led them around by the nose after that. At seventeen she had been hot. At twenty-one she was a rocket powered bombshell.

She gave each one a kiss on the cheek before she left. She wondered how long it would be before they realized they were supposed to arrest her. Not that it would stick. Captain Tapper was a long time friend. Well, long time necessity when it came to dealing with gangs large enough to give the cops issues. Jobs she did for free in exchange for a few liberal interpretations of the law when it came to her.

"They're more of a guideline," she'd told him.

* * *

The main event came into sight. Her mood was already improved from this morning. Getting information from Junior was just the whip cream on top of a delicious milkshake, complete with extra cherries.

Pulling up front she looked at the door. She recognized the two bouncers. Getting off her bike she made sure to give them the best possible views before approaching them with an extra sway to her hips. She smiled at them and enjoyed their reactions. They weren't sure if they should be turned on or scared to death. They settled for both.

 _You know, in the right type of club that reaction is normal, even desired,_ she thought to herself. _But I don't think I could ever see myself swinging around a whip._ Her musings made her chuckle and both goons flinched. Well, her laughter was usually followed by an ass kicking in their experience. In this area of town fear and respect were one and the same, and she was the alpha dog here.

"Relax guys. I'm here to see Junior," she said easily.

They did not relax. "Um, does he know you're coming?" the one on the left asked. He was supposed to stop anyone he thought was dangerous from getting in. He knew she was dangerous if she wanted to be. The self preservation gene was kicking in though which made him want to run. This was too much fun!

"Does he ever?" she smirked. The other bouncer's hand was inching towards his sword. He either didn't think she would notice, or hadn't realized he was even doing it. "I wouldn't." The hand quickly dropped as sweat instantly formed on his forehead. "Now there's a good boy." She gave him the best come-hither smile, and kissed him on the cheek. She gave him a pat on the ass as she walked past both. They didn't try to stop her, breathing a sigh as the tension left their bodies.

The double doors into the club proper opened up automatically on her approach. _Hmmm, more security than normal,_ she noted. A couple of the bouncers quickly made their way to Junior as soon as they saw her, pointing in her direction as she approached. Junior didn't turn around though. He ordered a shot of something from the bar and downed it, then had a second before she reached him. His personal bodyguards, the somewhat attractive Melanie and Miltia, eyed her. They were probably itchy for a rematch, but having had their buts whooped every single time in the past, to the destruction of the club, they smarty gave her plenty of room to get to their boss.

"Don't drink too much of that stuff," she said helpfully, "it'll make you do stupid things."

Junior shook his head. "I'm starting to think staying at the club at all is a stupid thing." He paused for a second, then with what could almost be called a sulk, "Sir."

It was good to have them trained early. "But if you did that who would I have to talk too?"

He chuckled nervously. "Exactly my point."

"Oh, my feelings are hurt!"

"I doubt that," there was almost a growl in there, but he didn't let it out enough for her to call him on it. "What information are you here to squeeze out of me today?"

"Straight to the point. Why Junior are you trying to get rid of me?" She was purposely needling him and hoping he'd bite.

He almost did. "Stop toying with me already and spill it," he said with heat. Realizing that anger had slipped the "Sir" couldn't fly out of his mouth fast enough.

She cracked a smile that was filled with joy and menace. "Careful. I'll play it your way though. The White Fang. I know there are still parts of it out there. You wouldn't happen to have any idea where we could find some of them?"

"Do I look like I keep track of animals?"

That was a dangerous thing to say, and she didn't think Junior even realized it. "No, but I think you keep track of anything that could affect your little slice of the kingdom."

He nodded to the bartender who got him another shot. "Maybe. What's it to you anyways?" he asked, downing that shot right after.

"I'm asking, that's enough isn't it?" she stated coyly. "Just between friends, of course."

He was a beaten man and she hadn't raised a finger. It was almost disappointing. Maybe it was time to work over a new club. "I'll send all the information to your scroll that I got. There's maybe ten that I know of, but I haven't counted. No point, they're all dying out. In a year there will be nothing left."

She turned and started to walk away. "Thanks." She paused as if thinking. "Oh, and I wouldn't count them out just yet." Let him simmer on that. They could become a threat, or she could be messing with him. He won't know for sure so he'll look deeper, and if he looked deeper that would just be more information for her. She wouldn't even have to come down here to get it. Now that he knew she was looking for it he'd send it to her just to avoid her being in his club. It was a win-win because she really did just like messing with him.

Passing the twins, she gave them a wink and a smile just to torque them as well. They were fun to mess with too. It was a shame she couldn't provoke them anymore to attack her. They were good enough to give her a small workout.

* * *

Getting home, Blake met her at the door. "I have news, but I wanted to tell you in person."

News could mean only one thing. "Ruby?"

"Yes," Blake nodded. "I spoke to Headmaster Ozpin to tell him that Ruby and Weiss had disappeared."

"And?" she asked impatiently.

"He already knew. He told me not to worry, they would be back by Monday. That Ruby had gone to take care of some 'family business,' as he put it." She paused, obviously nervous that Yang was going to lose it again. "I thought you would want to know."

She did feel the need to lose her temper again, but she throttled it. At least she's safe. The headmaster wouldn't let her leave without having a way to track her should she need help. It was more than she had this morning. Her confidence in Ozpin was such that she didn't give it a second thought that Ruby and Weiss could be in any kind of danger.


	10. Leaving the Nest

**Leaving the Nest  
**

Yang's outing to the Club went better than Blake had hoped. Another nine cells were now on their radar. She called both Simon and Thompson and four other group leaders that had joined the cause under her banner. Once started the reforming of White Fang was accelerating daily. After a week she didn't have to approach groups personally anymore. News of her was spreading. Some groups approached her directly now, or through her lieutenants.

That was one thing Blake made sure of: there was going to be a clear line of command, so if she fell the White Fang would live on. There were more groups now available than she had time to approach so she sent others in her stead. They went with her authority as ambassadors and that was enough, mostly. When it wasn't she would go as soon as she could.

They did run across groups who wanted to return to how it was under Adam. With them they were met with anger and violence. This was a good thing though. Her ambassadors called her and she called Velvet. Shortly after that the authorities arrived and that cell disappeared. This made the violent portion inclined to not be so violent. The demonstration of her authority among the humans was enough convince her people that she was the right choice for leader.

This call wasn't just to give them the new information she'd gotten. She could have told them via scroll as she had in the past, but it was time to do something else as well. Something that would tell her if this was truly going to work. All agreed, and a meeting of all of the White Fang was arranged for the next day. That it was still the weekend allowed most the opportunity to show under such short notice. That short notice was necessary. If it happened even a week later there was a chance that word of it would fall into the wrong ear. They were going to go public but the time wasn't right yet. A gathering that went violent could only be used against them.

The group was large enough that an abandoned building wasn't going to do. She could go with a warehouse, but she wanted something a bit grander. It would not only show that she had the authority to lead, but that it would be a legitimate movement backed by more than just words. That was tricky. It was a good thing she had gotten ready for this inevitable crossroad. She called Velvet. "Time to prepare the theater," she stated.

Velvet seemed surprised. "So quickly?"

"Yes, I think they are ready," Blake said with absolute certainty that hid the bundle of nerves beneath the surface. She'd been told by Weiss, and it was continually backed up when dealing with her movement leaders, that uncertainty only bred more uncertainty. "If I wait much longer I risk the humans knowing we are gathering, and they will assume it is so we can attack the world again."

When Blake had first started Velvet had volunteered immediately. That had surprised Blake at the time. Once she'd stopped hiding her ears Velvet had been angry for what she viewed as a cowardly act, or Blake being ashamed of her heritage. What Blake didn't realize was this crusade had redeemed her in Velvet's eyes. "Okay. I will let Ozpin know. When does it need to be ready?"

"Tomorrow night."

She was certainly all in with the movement as soon as she learned of it though. Velvet didn't know it yet but she was going to be second in command, assuming she wanted it. Blake was fairly sure she would. "You really are pushing things. It will be done though."

"Thank you." Tomorrow night was going to be the true beginning of the movement. _I just wish Weiss was around because I could really use her advice on where to go with it._

* * *

The auditorium was a concert hall. It was one of the largest in Vale in fact. Ozpin was personal friends with the owner so he had arranged for it to be open to her.

Blake owed the Headmaster more than she could express. He was the one who aiding her with her emotional scars after the fight with Adam. He was the one who convinced her it was time to stop hiding she was a faunus. Her admiration of him was possibly higher than any other student at Beacon.

He had proven a hundred times over that he had no prejudice towards faunus at all. He was continuing to help her and she knew without a doubt he believed in her and her ability to affect real change. This was just a small showing of his influence for the cause.

The new White Fang was obviously impressed. This was worlds better than skulking about in abandoned buildings and deserted parks. Most showed feelings of validation on their faces. That was what she had hoped for. Without a word her lieutenants joined her on the stage. Each had been a leader of one of the fragments she had pulled together. They knew their people and had their respect. There was no reason to change that yet.

This was the first time all of them had been together. It was also the first time she had met some of them personally. The tension was hard to miss. "Let's get this over with first." She looked at each one, making sure she made eye contact. "I know before me none of you could work together for various reasons. Now that you are following me will that still be a problem?" To varying degree all of them avoided eye contact. All of them except for Thompson. He stood proud, smiling with his hands on his hips. She gave him an approving nod. "Alright, so be it. I'm okay with a little internal stress, for now. I know bad blood takes time to heal. It _will_ heal though. For tonight I want you to stay with your people. This is going to be a rough meeting for all of them and your job is to keep them quiet and thinking. I don't want us tearing ourselves apart before we really get started, okay?"

One of them spoke up, "why might they get violent?" She recognized him as Slim. He was one of the ones she hadn't met yet but from the reports she had read he was also probably the smartest. That he spoke up was good. She didn't want a bunch of yes men.

"It's complicated. I don't want to repeat it twice. Believe me though, this is necessary."

"Good enough for me!" Thompson bellowed, heading out towards his people from the park. That seemed to give the rest more confidence. They nodded and headed out. A couple tried to salute her, which she stopped right away. They were not an army; they were not going to start acting like one.

After taking a couple of deep breaths, she concentrated on each tense muscle in her body and relaxed them one at a time, until she felt ready. She was about to walk to the center and ready the speech she had prepared. She sincerely hoped they would stay calm enough for her to finish it.

Her scroll alerted her to a call. She was tempted to ignore it and listen to the message after, but Yang's face showed and she answered it instead. Her teammate was aware of how important tonight was. She wouldn't call if it wasn't an emergency.

She should have waited.

It was pure panic in Yang's voice. The kind that Blake didn't think her friend was even capable of. "They're gone! Ozpin can't find them. Their transport went down between Patch and Vale, and no one knows why. They could be dead!"

'They' had to be Ruby and Weiss Blake knew right away. The implications overwhelmed her and the scroll dropped to the ground from nerveless fingers. "Blake, you gotta get back here. We need to go find them! BLAKE! Are you there? Get your ass back here now. We can't wait!" Yang was yelling loud enough to be heard even with the scroll nowhere near her face.

They had to wait. She had to wait. This night was the night that everything fell together or fell apart. She had to pull herself together and have faith in Ozpin and every one of her friends. None of them would fail to search. They would look until they found them both.

She carefully bent down, not trusting her own balance as the emotions filled her. "Yang." she said with dead calm, hoping that it would help calm her friend. It didn't, but she quieted for a moment. "I'll be there as soon as I can. Go, find our friends."

"What's more import," Blake hung up. There was no point. Yang would just continue getting angrier by the second that Blake hadn't dropped everything to go help with the search. Ruby was involved. To Yang there was nothing more important, not even this. Blake's priorities were different and though her heart ached she had a job to do. She hoped Yang could forgive her some day.

Turning her scroll to silent she squared her shoulders and walked out to center stage.

As she walked out she looked over the crowd. In truth the auditorium was too large for their group, but that hadn't been the only reason to use it. Presentation was everything tonight.

Nearly two hundred eyes fixed themselves on her. It was intimidating. "Brothers and Sisters thank you all for coming on such short notice," she started, her eyes moving from one face to the next. There were too many to commit to memory, but she hoped they each felt she had given them her direct attention, even if it was only for a moment. "We are at a crossroads. We are together now, and we are stronger for it. We will continue to grow, and grow quickly. We all know our cause is just, and have all felt the lash of oppression. I will not promise to get rid of that tonight, tomorrow, or next year. Hate runs deep on both sides of the line and it will not be easily defeated. We will, however, be the start so our children will know a better world than we have, and their children may know true freedom."

The speech was said calmly. Her voice projected well, as the stage was designed for, so even those in the back could hear her. "I am honored for the chance to head that fight, thank you."

"Our first step will be the hardest to swallow by most of you, and it hurts me to have to do it. Please believe that." A bit of grumbling came from the crowd, suddenly uncomfortable and worried by her words. "The White Fang, as we know it, must die." She could have honey coated it. She could have walked them slowly through it, and she had given that some serious thought, but right now speed was her concern. Though she considered the White Fang her first priority, that did not mean she was going to spend any more time here than necessary when Ruby and Weiss needed her the most. She looked at her lieutenants and noted that each was doing as she said to keep their followers calm. They were very good at it. "The White Fang will never again be seen as anything but a threat in the human eyes. We will not give them a chance. Our mission is too important to be delayed by meaningless controversy and strife. I am not proposing we disband. Look around, _we_ are the heart of this cause, not the name. It is time we let it go and move forward. We will rise above the shadows and into the light. We will take wing above those who would chain us down. We will fly to our freedom."

She had been giving this thought ever since Jaune had pointed out the need. She wanted the name to be inspirational, beautiful, yet strong. She needed something that other faunus could identify with, and for the humans to understand the message behind the name. She hoped what she came up with would be accepted by all. There was no way to know until she said it though. The buildup had gone flawlessly, time to bring it home. "We are Phoenix."

She wasn't sure what she had expected. Anger? Joy? An attempted lynching? She got silence. Maybe she should have talked to Simon first. He was the orator. He could have given her tips on presenting this change. As the silence grew her nerves frayed a bit more. It was by willpower alone that she didn't show how on edge she was becoming.

And in her head time was ticking away as the chances of finding her teammates got smaller by the minute. She couldn't wait, but she couldn't rush this.

Then they started talking to each other. It was quiet at first, but getting more animated. There was a sense of excitement. The energy became infectious, making people even more ready. "We of the Phoenix stand with you!" Slick yelled for his group. It was followed by another lieutenant, and then another, until all had professed their loyalty under their new banner.

It was overwhelming. She had hoped for success, but never dreamed it would be this strongly accepted and expressed. She was the leader of these people. _Her people._ They will stand with her, and they will do whatever is necessary to get their deserved respect and place besides the humans who would hold them down. Next she needed to be sure that all understood this was not going to include the hate. And later, the hardest part of all, the acceptance of humans within their ranks. Equality wasn't going to be earned by one-sided battles. They needed to be shown as equals within their own ranks before they would be accepted as equals by the rest of the world.

The fight for control was over. The battle to maintain that control was only beginning.

And still that clock ticked away in her head. She could not be seen as running.

It was time to give them their first orders. "Go; find our brothers who would work towards that distant freedom. Bring them in under our wing." It was pandemonium. Cheering, laughing, and celebrating filled the auditorium. Blake realized that the name White Fang hadn't just poisoned the human's acceptance. It had also poisoned her people's minds. They were free now from being part of that hate and anger.

Achieving her objective she slipped out in the ruckus she slipped out unnoticed. Once on the street she moved as fast as she could towards Beacon, Yang, and all of her friends. They were probably already on their way to find their lost teammates. Opening her scroll she ignored the nine messages from Yang. She had a good idea of what they were about. She called Velvet instead. "Any chance you can help me get with the rest of the search party?" she asked, not wanting to waste any more time.

"Too late. All of the transports are already over the sea searching," Velvet said in anxiety laced tones.

Blake slowed down, and then stopped. _It had been necessary,_ she repeated. _One more set of eyes would not have helped in the search._ None of that mattered. She had failed her friends. What hurt the most was knowing if it happened again she would do it again. "Head to the docks. There's a ship preparing to go out to help with the search. It'll be ready in about fifteen minutes. Think you can make it?"

New hope was found, and she turned and ran in the exact opposite direction. At that moment she would have given her right arm for just a touch of Ruby's semblance. "I have to make it. Thank you."

It was late so she could move with ease. The air rushed around her and made her trench coat flap from the wind made by her own passing. She had to use her semblance several times to avoid getting hit by a car. That barely slowed her down and didn't register at all. All that mattered was getting to the docks. She pushed herself so hard that by the time she got there she was panting and out of breath. The lack of oxygen to the brain made her light headed and her lungs burned with each deep breath she took. She scanned the docs briefly and found the one getting ready to launch. She'd made it!

The search, however, was fruitless. No sign of wreckage. No signs of life. As the hours passed a sense of dread became more and more present. When the ship ran low on fuel they were forced to turn around. The captain, whose name she never got, stuck his head out on the return trip. "They found the ship ma'am. They say it was intact, but it had sunk. They're working on getting down to it now."

It was intact. That gave Blake hope that they had survived and merely floated away with the current. That could easily be followed. Once they made port she headed directly to Beacon. That would be where the information would get to first.

All the other bullheads had returned except for the one at the wreckage. Yang was nowhere to be found, so Blake surmised that she was on that plane. Another hour, then two hours, passed before the lone transport landed surrounded by students and teachers alike. Blake had been waiting at the front of the crowd, given a spot of painful honor in reverence to her teammate's crisis. Team JNPR was with her, an honor guard holding silent vigil with her.

Yang was the first out of the bus and in her hands was Crescent Rose in its compact carrying form. Fear stole her voice, but she went to her. Yang purposely looked away and headed towards the academy without a word. It broke Blake's heart, and her friends tried to give her comfort. She couldn't accept it though. Two of her best friends were possibly dead, and the last was holding her to blame. Silently she agreed with Yang.

One of the flight crew exited and let the crowd know that all they'd found was the wreckage. The search would continue tomorrow.

 _I did the right thing,_ She told herself. The thought did little to ease the pain of Yang's rejection and her own guilt as she walked alone to their room.


	11. Search and Rescue

**Search and Rescue**

The day was full of promise for Yang. Yesterday had been a blast. Today her sister was supposed to be back and back to normal. It eased her protective nature for her sister. It also simply didn't feel right to have half her team away. Tonight things would be normal again. She was even looking forward to classes tomorrow just to get back into the swing of things.

That afternoon she listened to Blake arrange for her meeting with people that Yang hadn't even known existed a couple of days ago. She'd known them as abstracts of course, but last Friday was when Blake had brought in the files on each, studying them like it was for a test. Yang guessed that wasn't too far off from exactly what was happening. She was going to be gone which left the room to herself. It was a shame that Sun was out of town. Having the room this empty was rare.

She settled for what she could get and called him. Their relationship was still on the rough side after Yang's admission of her proclivities, so she was devoting more time to him. He both needed and deserved it. It wasn't like it was a chore. Aside from the great times in the bedroom they had good times outside of it too. They were both fun loving care free types. Their senses of humor meshed well as did their opinions. Where they didn't led to some of their greatest conversations.

Neptune was still on her mind, but until Sun had made his decision he was off limits. Sun hadn't brought up her admission yet, not directly at least. Little statements here and there made it clear that he was still thinking it over rather than dismissing it and hoping it would be forgotten. It gave Yang hope. Nora knew her stuff.

"I'm just saying Blake can be a bit obsessive. You've seen her," Sun was saying.

This was one of those disagreements. "Yeah, but she's not that kid anymore who couldn't find a balance."

"That may be true," Sun pointed out, "but we're talking about someone who hasn't gone on a date in two years. That's pretty obsessive."

"You're just stung cause you were that last date," she joked. "You should be glad. It means no one's stacked up to her standards except you."

That was the wrong thing to say. "I'm not stacking up to your standards, that's for sure."

"Sugar, don't be like that. You are definitely all man." So much for it being a promising day. It was times like this that she really did wish she wasn't wired the way she was. It simply wasn't possible to get Sun to understand just how much she loved him, and cherished every minute she was with him, when she had feelings for another as well. People tended to let their pride blind them.

That wasn't a fair thought. It wasn't pride. It was Yang becoming a nun with a vow of chastity, or it might as well have been. That was the level her morals had changed in his view. Then she'd asked him to join in.

An insistent knocking came from the door. "Yang, this is urgent," was heard through the door. It was Glynda Goodwych, second only to Ozpin himself. If she said it was urgent then it was.

Sun knew that too, and he obviously heard Glynda. "Go, call back when you can."

"Love you, I will," and she hung up, heading to the door.

The serious face she saw upon opening it did not fill her with confidence. "I hate to tell you this. Ms. Rose and Ms. Schnee's transport went down on the way back to Beacon." The blood left her face making her already pale skin even closer to sheet white. The thought of correcting Glynda that Weiss did not have that last name anymore didn't cross her mind. Her over protective nature towards Ruby came to the fore, with worry for Weiss coming immediately after.

"Where, when, and how?" Her mind was working fast on the problem.

Glynda nodded, obviously pleased by how quickly Yang worked past the shock to get to business. "Over the sea between Patch and Vale, about ten minutes ago. We don't know why or how yet. I came as soon as we knew to tell you so there might be more information that has come through I don't know about. The Headmaster has already ordered a search to retrieve them. It should be organized by now."

A quick nod. "Then let's go."

As she ran through the halls she grabbed her scroll. The first person to call was Blake. What she got wasn't the instant "I'll be right there" she had expected, and arguing the point only resulted in being hung up on. "What the?" She dialed back and was put through instantly to Blake's message system. Sun was right; her friend was obsessing again and had lost perspective. Sun!

Her fingers ran over the scroll as fast as they could. "Sun, it's Ruby and Weiss. They're in trouble. I don't know how bad, but their transport went down. I'm on my way now to search for them."

Like her he took in that information swiftly and without hesitation said "I'm on my way." It was the answer she had expected from Blake, and the one she had hoped for from Sun. At least one pulled through. She knew that if Ruby wasn't found she would need all the help she could get to hold herself together. If both of them were she wasn't sure there was enough support on the planet to keep her together. She also knew that every able body that looked made it more likely they would find them. After hanging up Yang called the other able body she needed, Neptune. It would lead to other problems. Problems she wasn't ready to face, but the more support she had the better she would handle this. Neptune gave the same answer as Sun.

Running through possible flight times she figured both would make it tomorrow at best, with Neptune making it first. By then they should have been found and the trip they were taking would be for nothing. Her reaction to call both had been a reflexive action. Glynda may think Yang had kept it together but in reality she was jabbering to herself in her head in a Ruby-like monologue. She didn't regret the calls though. If her fears became reality her reasons to call them would be validated.

Just to be sure, she called Blake repeatedly until she reached the transport that was waiting for her, getting angrier with each unanswered call. She knew her friend was in a meeting of importance to the faunus cause, but that knowledge became less tangible by the moment. Her fear led to anger, and anger led to hate. She never got the point of hating Blake. Her love for her teammate easily outweighed that possibility. As her thoughts went in circles throughout the search the anger was horrible indeed. That anger did lead to hate towards herself, and it was bolstered by guilt for failing her sister in some way. That lead to suffering, and it became too much. The only escape was to center on the fear and anger. Of all the emotions they were the easiest to handle, even though doing so was feeding into the guilt.

Climbing into the remaining search vehicle she found, and put on the headset that would connect her to the rest of the network of rescue workers. It had only been fifteen minutes since they had known Ruby had gone down. They had an excellent chance of finding them. She held on to that on the way out, using it to fight her raging emotions. She did not concentrate on the fact that Ozpin wouldn't send the entire fleet for a search area of what she thought might be within a fifteen mile radius. If she had concentrated on that she would have to admit there was more going on than she knew, and her panic would rise even further. She couldn't allow for that so it was best to ignore it. All that mattered was the search.

"We're heading directly to their last known position. The rest of the vehicles are going to do a grid search, with concentration on where the currents would likely drag them," the pilot told her through the headset. "We'll be there in twenty minutes." Yang added the numbers and flinched at the length. It would still likely be quick to find them, but if either were hurt that time was enough for them to get there too late.

"Roger that. Let's not waste the horsepower." _They're_ _fine,_ she told herself. _If the transport was going down they'd leave it and use their landing strategies to make a safe dive._ Those thoughts were not enough to comfort her no matter how hard she tried. Her philosophy of living in the moment and letting the future sort itself out was failing miserably. The possibilities in the now were just as bad as the future.

Over the radio she heard the different rescue vehicles as they got to their spot on the grid. The search truly was massive for such a small area. It didn't take long for each spot to be searched, and then the grid moved further downstream. Each time this happened over the course of the night Yang's grip to hope dwindled, and the fears became harder to escape along with the rest of the cycle that followed.

She found out that the rescue vehicle she was on wasn't there to search the surface. It had stayed behind the others because it was being outfitted with sonar to search under the surface for wreckage. The transport should have been quick to locate. It shouldn't be farther from the last contact than five miles as a conservative estimate. They searched where it had disappeared on radar within ten miles which is wider than it should have needed. They started in the center and worked their way out in a spiraling pattern. After hitting the ten mile mark they reported in, and then continued the spiral.

The hours started to trickle through her fingers leaving her more and more panicked. "We got something!" They were twenty miles from where they had lost radar contact. That was well beyond where they should have found it, and the sonar indicated it was another five miles beyond that. It didn't make sense.

"Are we sure it's the transport?"

"No ma'am. There is no transponder signal, but its size is about right, and it's definitely metal," Yang was informed. "We're already on our way to check it out. ETA about two minutes."

That was just enough time for Yang to get the breathing apparatus on. She didn't want to find them in that wreckage, but she couldn't wait any longer than necessary to know for sure. "We've reached it. Should be right below us. Lowering now so you can go in."

"Fuck that!" she yelled as she ran and dived. She fired off a couple rounds from Ember Celica just before hitting the water to slow her decent and break the surface of the water. Doing that she kept her momentum, pushing her well below the surface before she needed to start swimming. "Are you okay ma'am?" the pilot asked with worry.

Her mask allowed for talking, with good reason. "I'm okay. I should be halfway down about now." It was a rough estimate, but she thought it was accurate.

"Roger. I hope you don't mind me saying this, but that was the ballsiest thing I have ever seen."

She would normally have a cheeky reply to that, but she was too focused. So focused that she almost forgot to turn on her tracking device. "Am I on the right trajectory?"

"Got your signal. You're about three quarters down now, and yes you are on target." Good, she didn't want to waste any more time than had already been lost. The water pressure was building. Normally a dive like this wasn't a problem, but the rapid manner that she had started, and continued thanks to the weight of Ember Celica, was causing the pressure to change rapidly. Her ears were the first to experience it with the pressure trying to burst them. Yang spared some concentration on her Aura to help protect her from the worse of the effects. It was difficult, but successful.

After five minutes going down she saw her target. "Captain something is wrong. The transport is intact."

"That is good news. We'll be able to look over the wreckage faster."

She'd reached what had become the center of her world. "You do not understand captain. There is no damage. It is as if it landed here." That was met by silence. "Entering now. The back hatch is already opened."

"Collect the black box. We need to know what happened and that's the best chance we'll have."

Some small portion of her brain went "D'uh." The rest was too eager to care as she went towards the cockpit. She stopped dead halfway through the vehicle. A splotch of red among the grey was easy to spot in the crystal clear water. Crescent Rose was not something she would ever mistake as anything else. Her panic reached a new level. Ruby would not leave her weapon behind for any reason. More importantly it was needed for her landing strategy. If she had jumped without it there was no way she would have landed safely. "Drop a line. I'm about to be too heavy to swim up without assist."

It wasn't that Crescent Rose was too heavy for her to pickup. Ruby was both strong and skilled which allowed her move the scythe with ease, but Yang was stronger. She picked up the weapon as if it weighed the same as a feather and put her feet under her. She might as well have been wearing weighted boots with Crescent Rose's weight. She started walking the remaining distance to the cockpit. "Understood. We'll have it down momentarily."

Yang calculated how far the vehicle would need to fly in order for the rope to reach her with the pull of the currents. Using that she estimated when the rope would get to her. She had about five minutes to look around after collecting the box she decided.

The exterior of the transport was perfectly intact, but the interior was far from untouched. The damage concentrated around the hatches. Knowing what to look for she noted that the damage was similar to one of Weiss's glyphs. Several different types actually. Weiss had been trying to open this hatch for several minutes judging by the type of marks, where they were, and how many. Yang was astonished because the door was still attached and it shouldn't have been with that level of abuse.

She also noted that none of the damage was from Crescent Rose. If they were having trouble getting out its high impact sniper form would make short work of the door. There was not a single piece of damage that showed she had tried, or any tears that would have resulted from her using the scythe. Adding it all together Yang did not like the answer she came up with.

"The rope should be there for you now," she heard over the com, breaking her out of her thoughts.

Out of a perverse feeling of necessity Yang tried the hatch and it opened. Actually the more accurate term was it fell, landing in the sand below. Immediately before her was the rope. "Roger, climbing on now. I'm leaving my beacon on board for easier location later." The ride up wasn't so bad. The box had its own satchel, which she had over her shoulder, and Crescent Rose was hugged close to her chest.

They traveled back to Beacon and she heard they were the last returning for the night. No sight of Ruby or Weiss had been made. Yang held her sister's weapon, her pride and joy, to her chest. A type of fear that she was not familiar with, and wasn't sure how to handle, coursing through her. Among their many classes throughout her time at Beacon loss management had been made available at three levels: basic, intermediate, and advanced. She'd taken all three. Right now they counted for nothing.

After landing she stepped out and saw Blake and the anger she had been feeding hit. She couldn't look at her friend. She didn't trust that she wouldn't beat her to within an inch of her life at that second. Instead she silently walked away without looking back. She could not forgive Blake for her betrayal, not at that moment. Maybe never.

Passing Glynda she asked "Can I take one of the guest rooms for the night? I want to be closer to the transports in the morning so I can be ready for the search."

The Professor knew better than to ask about her classes. There was no point. Even if she would lose her chance at graduating Yang would be on one of the transports tomorrow, so she simply nodded. "I'll arrange it."

Yang wasn't asking for a room for that reason though. She couldn't share a room with Blake. She needed to be angry, and there was nothing else to be angry at. Ruby and Weiss weren't there. The teachers had no hand in this at all. She could Hold Ozpin at fault, but he'd done everything he could as soon as he knew. Only Blake had balked, run off to take care of things she felt was more important than her own team. It wasn't a fair thought, but it didn't matter. Not to Yang.

An hour after settling in the room Yang was sitting the bed with her back propped up by a wall. She was still holding Crescent Rose. Depression had settled in. She was actually angry with the classes that had told her what to expect. She hated that she could feel this and rather than just experience it she analyzed it, dissected what caused it, and how to move on. She needed to move on because she needed to have her head in the game tomorrow so she could find her teammates.

She needed to move on because deep inside, behind the fear, anger, and self loathing, she knew there was another teammate she was going to lose otherwise. This time it would be by her own hand.

A knocking on the door pulled Yang's awareness outward, away from thoughts she would rather avoid. Thoughts where she admitted to herself that her sister really could be dead. She had a guess who it was, and she knew it would be a bad idea to let her in. That didn't stop her from wanting it though. The depression was the worse of the stages for someone like Yang. She was a woman of action and of extremes. Like a switch her depression switched back to the anger she had yet to deal with.

"Come on in," she said, sounding almost casual about it. She wasn't disappointed as Blake's head peeked around the door. "What do you want?" she asked sourly.

"I-" Blake looked around uncertainly. Good, she should feel guilty. She should hate herself. "I wanted to talk."

Yang took up the thread of the conversation. "You want to make me understand why you didn't come? Why your precious White Fang was more important than your own teammates?" The anger in her voice was rising with each word. By the last word her eyes were red from the temper she was infamous for. Blake had to know she was in danger; that one wrong word would lead to a fight. "Was it worth it?"

The problem was there were no right words. Yang knew it too. She was pushing her friend into a corner that there was no escape. "It was necessary."

Wrong answer. Blake was getting ready to continue, but Yang charged the two feet that was between the bed and the door, the sound of her gauntlets transforming to full action. Blake must have known it was coming, but she didn't try to avoid it. She took the blow. Then Yang pulled the trigger. Fire erupted from her fist propelling Blake to the opposite wall in the hallway.

"I'll be sure to tell them that not searching for them 'was necessary' to you," Yang spit. Not that Blake heard it. The hit had knocked her out. Normally Yang's temper was like an explosion: powerful, unstoppable, but quick to end. Normally she wasn't facing the possibility that her sister was dead and the person before her had let it happen. (An overstatement of epic proportions, but in her state of mind it was the truth). Then she had the gall to try telling her it was necessary.

Her temper did go down to a low simmer. With disgust she threw Blake's unconscious body over her shoulder effortlessly, and headed to Beacon's clinic. When you were a combat school with active fighting a clinic, almost a small hospital, was a necessity. One of the nurses had a small flat attached so if she was needed she could be there in an instant. Blake needed it that night.

Yang had woken up the nurse with the bell made to summon her. "What happened to her!" Nurse Anderson asked in shock after a single look at Blake's face.

"I did. Tell her to leave me alone when she wakes up," Yang said as she turned and left. That statement was said by every piece of her. The anger which made her want to hurt her more. The guilt and shame of letting her anger rule her, and the self hatred. She wanted her friend as far away as possible before she did more.


	12. Grounded by Guilt

**Grounded by Guilt  
**

Blake went back to her room after seeing Yang with Crescent Rose, feeling dread overcome her. Yang was blaming her. The way she had looked at her after leaving the bus made that infinitely clear. Blake couldn't blame her. If things were reversed she'd feel the same. Feel as if her friend, her teammate, had abandoned her entire team when they needed her the most.

Though Yang had left first, and with a speed born from her anger, Blake was the one who got to their room before her. She went to her top bunk and hid in the corner, as much as she could. _I did the right thing,_ she kept telling herself. _I wouldn't have made much of a difference and Phoenix will. I couldn't risk it all falling apart._ She'd had these thoughts all night, and she would have them again in the future. She truly did believe every word. That didn't get rid of the guilt. After a while Blake knew her teammate wasn't coming back. It was bad then if Yang was avoiding her to this degree. Blake decided that a rift between them could not be allowed and left her room. There was only one real place for her friend to be. She headed directly to the guest rooms.

She didn't really know what she was going to say. Her eloquence with Phoenix was from hours of preparation for a receptive audience. Not this time. Yang was going to be hostile and there was no time or way to prepare for it. Still she tried, working through the possibilities as she stood outside the door her friend was on the other side of. When no clear answer came to her she called it a bad job and knocked. Whatever was meant to happen could not be stopped.

She wasn't prepared. Not even remotely. Yang's words cut at her, one at a time, resonating with her own depression and self hatred. Yang's eyes became red and Blake knew she was in danger. She couldn't help but feel she deserved it. Then Yang asked why. It was the one thing she had known was going to be asked. She started with "It was necessary" and was ready to expand on that; to tell Yang why she was unable to go. She wanted to make Yang understand that she loved her teammates, and it was tearing her apart knowing how she had let them down.

She didn't get the chance. After those three words Yang attacked. _Yes, it was necessary, but I still deserve this,_ was her last thought before Ember Celica made contact. She was already half unconscious from that blow, the triggered blast after only made sure of it.

* * *

She woke in pain. She tried to open her eyes and her left refused to do so. Judging by the feel her nose was broken. She recognized she was in the clinic right away and was thankful that Yang must have brought her there. At least she thought she had. It would give her a little hope that Yang may one day forgive her.

Quietly she rolled onto her right side, nearly jumped off the table from the pain, and quickly returning to her back. She remembered taking the punch, but why did her right shoulder hurt?

"Ah, you're awake!" a surprised voice said a bit too cheerfully.

Blake got right to the point. "So what's the damage?"

Nurses, like doctors, were trained to deliver bad news as tactfully as possible. This one obviously failed that class. "Broken nose, dislocated shoulder and cracked clavicle on the right side," Nurse Anderson said. Her that upbeat voice was so counter to how Blake felt that it was even more annoying than she normally found it. "The rest is mainly bruising and swelling. They should go down in two or three days, or a few hours if you used your aura, but I'd concentrate on your shoulder if I were you. As far as the doc could tell your left eye will be fine once the swelling goes down."

At least the nurse didn't beat around the bush. "My shoulder, do we know how?"

"Well a couple of the teachers looked and found where the attack happened. From what they said it wasn't too hard since we already knew Ms. Long was responsible." She smiled as if this was all perfectly normal. "They found a hole in one of the walls. They think you were hit hard enough to impact it with your shoulder and cause that hole. They said you must have been unconscious by the time you hit the wall, or your Aura would have made your injuries much lighter. When you were carried here Ms. Long didn't seem to give any thought to your injuries; maybe because she didn't know about your shoulder. It aggravated the damage a little."

"Huh. I knew she was mad, but I didn't think she'd hit me quite that hard," she said, while realizing that the damage between them was far worse than she had thought.

"Do you want anything for the pain?" Maybe she thought being overly cheerful was a way to lighten the mood? If so it was not working.

"No," Blake insisted. "I need to go help with the search and drugs are just going to fog my head. I have to be sharp."

For the first time in her life, as far as Blake knew, Nurse Anderson frowned. "I think everyone's gone already."

That surprised Blake. "How long have I been unconscious?"

"Hmmm, let me think. I'd say about thirteen hours would be accurate, if you include the time it would have taken for Ms. Long to bring you here," the nurse replied as she returned back to her normal happy demeanor.

"That's too long. I need to go help..," she started, trying to get up from her bed.

"You are going nowhere until this heals," and to make her point she cheerfully poked Blake's collar bone lightly. The pain was enough to cause an involuntary yell and for her to fall back into the bed. "If you leave now you will cause it to heal wrong. If you behave and concentrate with your Aura this should heal in about four days."

"But..."

"Miss Belladona I'm afraid I must insist," came a familiar voice behind her.

She whipped her head around to see him, and yelled in pain again from stretching her shoulder in the process. "But Headmaster..."

"Ah ah ah, no arguing," he said in that calm authoritative voice. "I am afraid you are too valuable to lame yourself in a moment of recklessness."

"But Ruby and Weiss..."

Ozpin continued the sentence for her, all be it not how she would have, "Will be found, or not, whether or not you help. One extra pair of eyes will not make a difference in the scheme of things."

Blake had no way to deny him no matter how she wanted to. It was the same argument she had told herself with little success. "I'm failing them again."

"I believe a certain Yang Xiao Long is responsible for you not going today," he said. He came and sat down next to her, putting his cup onto the rolling table near her feet. "And believe me she will pay for that transgression."

Blake jumped at that. "No, please don't," she begged. "She's stressed and understandably angry. I don't blame her at all."

"Blake I understand her reasoning. I even sympathize with her, but as a Huntress she is measured by a higher standard." He paused, looking at her with an intensity that almost was like he was seeing her soul. "You are also measured by that standard, but I believe the one you hold yourself to is far stricter. I would go so far as to say impossible. In the last two months you have accomplished the impossible. In particular the last week has yielded unparalleled results. I expect them to be only the beginning. Yesterday you were forced to choose between your mission and your friend, and you chose the mission. This was the right choice. As a Huntress personal sacrifice is a painful necessity. Do not let that pain lead to self destructive guilt. You must learn to accept these situations or you will not be able to do what is necessary the next time it occurs."

Bowing her head, Blake was forced to admit that he was correct. She hated it though. "You have done your part, let us do ours," he said as a parting farewell.

The nurse looked at her. "So, are you going to listen to me now?"

"Yes ma'am." She was far from happy with herself or the situation regardless of what Ozpin had told her, but she was closer to forgiving herself than she had been since letting her face get turned into hamburger by one of her best friends.

* * *

That night the search party returned. Part of her hoped Yang would come to her quickly, and part of her feared it. Not right away, but eventually Yang did appear at her door, quiet as the grave. "Ruby and Weiss?" Blake asked anxiously. It was her overriding concern beyond what had happened last night. She had laid their all day with no news and feeling powerless.

Yang shook her head. "Nothing yet. Where their vehicle went down was drastically off from where we expected. The currents are faster there which is why we missed them yesterday, and they start to split after getting to the ocean."

She hadn't looked Blake in the eyes yet, finding anything else more interesting. It was obvious that she had been crying. Ruby's disappearing was really getting to her. "Yang, it's okay. She's a Huntress. A few days at sea won't be enough to stop her."

"That's not it," she said with heat, all of it directed inward. "I'm sorry, really really sorry." It felt almost as if Yang had killed her, the pure emotion and guilt that radiated off her.

She had hoped to hear that from her friend, though without the heartbreak, but there was one more thing she hoped to hear. "Forgiven, but only if you forgive me for not getting there to help faster." Her own guilt was great.

Yang didn't disappoint. "Now there is something that does not need to be forgiven." She came close to making eye contact this time. "Glynda made sure I understood that."

Now that was amusing. "So that's who the headmaster sicced on you. I wondered." The mental image pretty much wrote itself. When she wanted to be Glynda was a truly scary woman.

"A natural choice," Yang confirmed, her voice still thick with emotion. "And one I'm going to apparently be seeing every weekday till graduation to give me 'a proper understanding of the responsibilities that comes with being a Huntress' as she put it."

Blake couldn't help but laugh even if the mood in the room made it out of place; then wince at the pain it caused in her shoulder. Yang noticed. "I didn't mean to hurt you this badly; just knock you out and give you a headache for the day. I thought you would at least try to avoid me so I didn't hold back." She paused looking at Blake. "What was with that by the way?"

"I felt I deserved it," Blake admitted, remembering the depression that was still with her; though being able to talk with Yang was helping more than anything the Headmaster had said earlier.

Yang shook her head again, her feelings of guilt looking just as strong as when she came in the room. "That alone tells me you didn't deserve it, and you really felt that you had no choice."

"Don't you dare say you're sorry again," Blake insisted, partially because she was afraid her friend would go on a crying jag if she did, and partially because she didn't feel it was owed.

Her friend smiled at that, pulling herself back together a small piece at a time. The smile was forced, but it was true. "Okay. So what can I get for you while you heal?"

"A book would be nice."

A shake of her head. "Predictable. I'll be sure to get one from behind your mysteries," Yang teased, knowing that was where Blake hid her romances. It made Blake blush and caused the first true laugh from Yang since she came into the room.

* * *

Ozpin sat his office, looking at the terminal before him with interest. He took a sip from his cup, and then tapped a couple of keys. Constantly aware of his surroundings he knew exactly when Glynda had entered, but did not look up. Glynda was going to be testy with him he realized. The cadence of her steps alone was enough to tell him that.

He was rarely proven wrong, this wasn't an exception. "What's going on Ozpin?"

"What do you mean Glynda?" he said with his usual calm demeanor.

She didn't buy it, not that he had expected her to. "Don't give me that. Your act may fool the rest but I have known you too long," she accused. "You're worried, and you know more than what you are telling us, even me."

There were certain disadvantages when working with friends. One of those was them being able to recognize something was up and calling him on it. That Glynda had once been more than just a friend made her particularly hard to deal with at times like this. "I have theories only right now, but yes, I am worried."

Glynda's eyes narrowed, and with a single finger pushed her glasses up by the bridge. "Why?"

"Because if I'm right those girls were in more trouble than they should reasonably have a chance to deal with." He said it with his normal tone yet managed to convey a sense of unrest. It was a single word that caused that feeling more than anything else: 'were."

Glynda was obviously not in the mood for vagueness. "And what might that be?"

The Headmaster turned the screen around so his friend could see. "This."


	13. Trials and Complications

**Trials and Complications**

Yang went to bed feeling justified in knocking her friend out. Blake was a traitor and deserved it. The next morning, on the other hand, was a completely different matter. That terrible anger had left her and felt as if she had acted as soulless as the grimm they were trained to fight. Only a monster could do what she did, regardless of what her friend did wrong. In the light of day she wasn't entirely sure Blake had done anything wrong. No, she knew Blake had done nothing wrong. Though the anger had left her, her self-loathing was as strong as ever.

Mechanically she got dressed and ready. The sun hadn't risen yet. She could hear the commotion outside. Everything was being prepared for the search at the first break of light. She would be there. She had no choice. She tried to push her thoughts of Blake to the side. It wasn't really working. Once finished she opened the door to leave; and found a blue haired duffus waiting, posing perfectly. "How long have you been standing like that?" she asked.

"About the time I heard you moving around," he smiled. How did he get his teeth to glint like that? "Was it worth it?"

She was tempted, dearly tempted, to pull him back into the room and show him how much she needed him. More accurately she wanted to pull him in and have her guilt wiped clean. She knew that wouldn't be the result. It would just add to it. There was no way temporize it as anything else but cheating. She settled for grabbing his tie and pulling him down for a kiss, which was stretching it.

"Worth it. Let's go." It took Neptune about two seconds to wipe the smile off his face and catch up.

Neptune's arrival was just what she needed. Having him close was a good distraction from unpleasant thoughts; ones that involved either a dead sister or a bloody face under her own fist. Suddenly cold Yang leaned into her friend. She was sure that Neptune didn't know about the latter, but the former was enough for him to understand the need and he obliged her. "It's going to be okay Yang. We'll find them."

"I know," she replied, though it was clear she was no longer sure. It had been over twelve hours now since Ruby had disappeared. That was a long time to be lost at sea.

Already feeling bleak, she had called Sun for support. It was a risk, but she really needed them both. So when she found him waiting for her with the rest of the search party she was beyond happy; not thinking about her leaning into his best friend.

"So, that's how it is?" he asked, glaring at both of them.

Yang jumped away from Neptune, suddenly guilty for a new reason. _I'm so glad dad isn't around to see this,_ Yang thought. _How many ways can I fuck up?_ She wasn't in the open relationship she hoped for. Until it was, if it ever was, Neptune was off limits. Worse she'd called him in her panic for exactly that. How many times was she going to betray Sun's trust?

"Bro," Neptune started.

"Don't 'bro' me. I can see what's going on," Sun started, and then turned to look at Yang. "Besides, she made it clear what you two are doing."

Neptune was instantly defensive. "She needed some comfort. Her sister's gone and you weren't around."

Sun was growing angry. In the back of her head the memory of her conversation with Nora played. 'Will they fight over you? Oh, I hope so!' She was seeing that prophesy unfold before her. It had been dangerous to bring them both here at the same time, and she had thought about only calling Sun. Yang should have called only Sun, but had been desperate to take advantage of one of the strengths of an open lifestyle in her time of need. Instead of supporting this was going to only drag her down further, and she knew she deserved it.

"Guys, this isn't the time," Yang asserted, hoping to stop this from degenerating to that predicted fight, at least for now. "Check your egos at the door because it's not about either of you, or about me. This is about Ruby. We'll deal with my fuck ups later, got it?"

Both folded their arms and looked away from each other as if it was choreographed. "Fine," they synced. In any other situation Yang would have laughed. Today was too serious for that.

She decided that until today's search was done it would be best if none of them were with each other. It could only increase the tension and distract them from the search. "You there, and you there," she pointed towards two separate bullheads. "I'm going to be in this one, got it?" Her tone made any arguments impossible, so both simply nodded. Yang had chosen the plane she'd been on yesterday. Its crew was familiar with her now and knew what to expect. Given her reckless nature that was an important thing. Putting on her com she told the pilot "I'm ready, let's go." Apparently she was all they were waiting on because they took off right away.

On the way she was briefed on the plans to find her sister. "We have reassessed where the two survivors would be based on where we found the wreckage last night. The currents are fast in that area though so the possibilities are a large area. We are going to have to make the grid larger to accommodate."

Yang nodded her understanding, which was silly since the pilot couldn't hear her head moving. "Okay."

Over the coms she heard Sun and Neptune starting to bicker. She was about to say something when someone else beat her too it. "You two shut up and keep the channel free! Some of us are trying to find someone rather than fight over a girl." Two meek apologies were heard right after.

Yang sighed, regretting calling them both more by the minute. She could have used a shoulder right then. Instead of two she was getting none, and a headache to boot. She put Sun, Neptune, and her own needs to the side as she looked through her set of binoculars for any sign of _intelligent_ life. If there was a mirror she'd see the biggest idiot of all. Out of sight out of mind did a lot to help put her worries about them on the back burner. Out of sight out of mind did not work so well when it came to her little sister and missing friend.

Again she tried to reassure herself. _They're two near fully trained huntresses, only a couple of months from graduation. They wouldn't let a simple plane crash kill them. We just haven't found them yet is all._ Those thoughts got harder to believe as the hours ticked by. Eventually they had to return to refuel and to eat. Yang had no appetite and merely picked at the food in front of her. Sun and Neptune sat across from her. Both looked worried at the condition of the normally unstoppable woman, and carefully did not look at each other.

She felt the anger start to rise up inside her again, but she breathed deeply to control it. Beating the hell out of both of them wasn't going to solve anything. "Okay you two, let's do this before I beat the crap out of both of you," she opened, looking at them with an expression that made it clear she wasn't kidding. "We don't have the time, so I have some ground rules. The first one to raise their voice loses. The first one to fire off an insult loses. The first time I even think you're being derogatory you will lose."

She wondered how her father would feel about this opening. On one hand she was trying to open lines of communication. On the other hand she was being heavy handed about it and not really giving them any choice. She hoped those ground rules would keep this talk civil, and she hoped the heavy handedness would make it short. They didn't have time to let this stretch out.

"Pretty sure that we want to 'win,' aren't you?" Sun asked.

Okay, that deserved a smile. "If you didn't you wouldn't be acting like a couple of cavemen."

Neptune looked directly at her, a smile of his own to match hers. "And what exactly are we going to win?"

"Me, of course." Now that should be incentive.

Sun was the first to catch on to the implication and asked, "and if we both win?"

"Figure it out lover boy," she grinned. She just might get her appetite back after all. Then she sighed, "If I don't follow them I'll lose as well."

Putting everything in terms of winning and losing wasn't right. It wasn't that simple, but it would have to do for now. No matter how it went this wasn't going to be the first time they talked about this unless she loses them both here. She hated it but the current situation was working in her favor on that. They weren't going to leave when Ruby and Weiss needed all the help they could get. It was a deplorable thought, yet it was the truth.

The best friends looked at each other, then at her, then back to each other again, and let out a gut buster of a laugh that eased the tension instantly. "I'm not expecting either of you to like this, or to get along with each other. I called you both because I need you both. I need to know that if I fall you will be there to catch me. One might be enough, but why risk it?"

Neptune tried to do his 'I'm too cool to not be enough,' act, and Yang stopped him instantly. "Don't start. Both me and Sun know you're full of shit. I've seen how broke up you were after Weiss broke up with you, remember? And Sun just plain and simple has known you too long. So be honest for the moment. It'll make this go faster."

He instantly deflated. Sun started to puff out his chest in the testosterone induced 'manly man' act. "And don't you start either Sun. I saw you after Blake dropped you like a hot potato." He likewise deflated. "Good, now let's be honest about this. You," she pointed at Sun, "have been dating me for almost a year now. Do you think you know me pretty well? Think you love me?"

"Yeah, you better believe it! No thinking involved," he paused, realizing he had left himself open for a comeback, but it didn't happen. This wasn't the time. "You're my woman."

"Let me stop you right there. I'm no one's woman. I told you, no macho testosterone. You love me, we got it. I assume being first you also feel you have the most right to date me?"

"Well of course."

"Okay. So we know where you sit." She turned to Neptune. Yang was moderating the conversation as fairly as she could; giving both a chance to speak their mind. It wasn't ideal, but with the current crisis there was no such thing as ideal. "Your turn." Neptune looked a bit nervous, which was a relief. He really had dropped the act for the moment. "You don't really want to date me if it costs you your friendship with Sun, do you?"

He dropped his eyes, and looked to the side. "That's not the only reason."

"Right. You also don't want to share me either, correct?" He nodded. "Do you love me?"

"Uh..."

Yang smiled a bit. "It's okay. We haven't even started dating yet, assuming we ever do. Love isn't necessary at this point. You do care for me though, don't you?" Was it right to be amused right now when her sister was still missing? She wasn't sure and felt guilty for yet another reason.

"I do."

"Enough that we were making out not that long ago?" That elicited a worried look from Neptune towards Sun. "Don't worry I already told him and I also told him that given the opportunity I'd do it again."

"If you put it that way, yes, I care."

She was stressing on the feelings portion of what she wanted. At this point their feelings were the most important. Hers would be expressed soon enough. "Would you want to date me if Sun wasn't involved?"

"Of course I would," he said just a bit too forcefully.

"Why?"

He paused, unsure how to reply. "Complicated question, huh? It's easy to say we feel this or that, not so easy to put it into words on why. You probably haven't given it a lot of thought. Well, let me answer my own question then, for both of you." She looked at Sun. Now was the time to open up. It was a bit scary, but she thought Sun, at the very least, would be pleased by what she was about to say. "You first, since you are the one who I'm rightfully dating right now. Sun, you make me happy for many reasons. You're fun to be with, of course. You get my energies flowing, as they say. I start an action and you automatically know where I'm going and finish it if needed, or join in if not, and I can do the same with you. I'm completely comfortable in your presence knowing that no matter what I would do or say you will accept it; because it's something you totally understand. How could I not love all of that?" Sun was smiling at the end of that with that stupid look on his face. Yang realized this was the first time she had told him, fully, just what she found so wonderful about him.

Now it was time for the other half. "As for you, I don't know well enough yet on that kind of level. I'm pretty sure I would love you, given time. You are the exact opposite from Sun. Under that cool surface you show, you're actually very nervous of what others think of you. That's the point of the cover; you want everyone to think the best. That should be annoying as hell to me, honestly. It's a level of vanity that is nearly unforgivable." She saw Neptune shrink in on himself a little as Yang attacked exactly where he was weakest. "But I think that's what would make us work. I'm the exact opposite, not giving a rat's ass what others think about me. It gets me in trouble, and I know it. We balance each other, and you are a good enough person and friend that I don't fight you when we look for that balance. I want to see if there is more to it than just that." Yang shrugged. "Could be a complete waste of time too. I don't know." Neptune gave another smile, this time complete with trademark teeth glint. "Told you, drop the act for the moment," she said with a good natured grin.

She looked at both of them. "My point is that I want both of you, and I want you for different reasons. Not because one is better than the other. Not because I want to double up on what I got. Certainly not because of some vanity of my own. I want you because you both offer something completely different to the table. Something that if the other tried to capture it they'd lose the thing that attracted me to them in the first place." She looked directly at Neptune. "It's also fun to take you down a peg when that persona of yours gets a bit too much. Does that make sense to either of you?"

"Heh, you and him get along for the same reason me and him get along," Sun realized.

"Yup," she agreed, happy that he was catching on.

Neptune and Sun both looked a lot more comfortable with each other. "Truce?" Neptune asked.

"Truce," Sun agreed. They huddled up and started to have a quiet meeting in hushed tones Yang couldn't make out. Then both of them looked at her. "We still are not on board with the whole tag-team dating thing, but we also know you don't need our drama right now so we'll drop it for now. Fair enough?"

It was a start. "More than I could have asked for," she sighed with relief.

"Actually, you did ask for more," Neptune pointed out.

"I guess I did. How about 'more than I hoped for' then?" She paused. She'd told them the why's of what she wanted, but there was one more thing. "Sun, I'm sorry for all of this. I said you know every aspect of me, but that isn't completely true. I hid this from you, and then I went only a couple of steps short of cheating on you with your best friend. I'm terrible and I don't deserve for our relationship to continue, but I'm desperate that it does." She looked at Neptune next. "And I'm sorry I put you in the middle of this."

With synchronous nods both got up and went around the table, one sitting on her left the other on the right. They both leaned and held her and Yang absorbed the emotions that came with it. She'd held the stress and worry over Ruby and Weiss to the side, almost forgetting about it at one point during the conversation, as she expressed other feelings. Ones that for a short while had been needed to get this situation at least partially under control. This show of support brought all of her fears back to the fore, but now they were not overwhelming. They were shared and she could have cried at the relief. She did a little, a few tears forcing their way out of her eyes. "This doesn't mean we're good with this open thing," Sun told her, "but for now at least we'll keep it to the side until we find them."

Over the PA system it was announced that they would be leaving in five minutes. Yang still hadn't really eaten, but she wasn't going to let that stop her from getting out looking for Ruby. With this behind her, at least for now, she was feeling much lighter and balanced.

* * *

Six more hours passed, and still no sight was made. The operation stopped for the night. Again without success more and more people were acting like it was over. Yang still didn't want to believe it. She would go out again tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that. Every day until she found them.

None the less, the overall feeling of hopelessness surrounding her was weighing her down. Sun and Neptune came in on either side of her, and went into lockstep. It was oddly comforting, as if they were one. Again she felt their support, and again she felt her load spread among all three of them.

"Ms. Long, I need a word with you," Glynda ordered from behind her. It was definitely an order, and a disapproving one at that. Her teacher was pissed. "Alone."

Yang had a good idea what this was about, and she had earned whatever was about to happen. Sun and Neptune walked away with worried expressions and a wave as Ms. Goodwych led her towards her office. The angry steps of Glynda reinforced just how much trouble she was in.

Once in her office Glynda used her riding crop on the arm of a wooden chair, the sound echoing. "Sit." Yang had never heard of her actually using that crop on anyone, but she wasn't about to test that, so she quickly complied. "You know why you are here." It was a statement, but Yang nodded anyways. "You should know Ms. Belladona will be hospitalized for at least five days, and it's only that short because of her Aura helping with the healing."

The blood left her head so fast she was dizzy for a second. If she had been standing she wouldn't have been at that point. She hadn't known just how badly she had hurt her friend. She thought maybe a black eye, a broken nose at worse.

Wisely she stayed quiet and let her teacher continue. "I understand this is because of a disagreement. Specifically her inability to meet your time schedule?" What else could she do? She nodded slowly. "Do you know what she was in the middle of when this emergency began?"

Again she nodded, feeling worse with every word spoken to her. She couldn't maintain eye contact. She looked at the foot of her teacher's desk as if it was the most important thing in the world. Again she heard the crack of the crop, this time on the side of Yang's chair. "Pay attention." Yang jumped, her eyes again on Glynda regardless of how hard it was becoming. Goodwych adjusted her glasses unnecessarily. Yang had been around long enough to know it was a habit of hers when she was truly angry.

"Thanks to your teammate's efforts groups of the White Fang are coming back together, under a new banner and a new method to their mission. I want you to contemplate what that means not just to Vale, but to the whole of Remnant." She paused, as if giving her the chance to do that then continued. "While you were searching for Ms. Rose she was cementing that arrangement. As important as your sister may be, what do you think was the priority in her situation?"

This time when she paused it was clear she was waiting for an answer. It took a minute for Yang to find her voice. "Her mission."

"Good, at least you are capable of recognizing that after the fact, eventually. Your temper is well known and documented. This has not been the first time it has caused trouble. Most times it has been justified and restrained enough not to have you expelled." She paused. "It has been a near thing though. So I want a reason why you shouldn't be this time."

Yang thought about it, and she couldn't come up with a single one. She tried to speak, but nothing came out. "Luckily for you Headmaster Ozpin has decided to be more lenient than I feel you are deserving of. You will not be expelled." Yang couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. "Instead you are getting an unofficial class, with me, every day for the rest of your academic career. I am not going to go easy on you. You will learn, forcefully if necessary, a proper understanding of the responsibilities that comes with being a Huntress. Am I clear?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Good. I expect to see you tomorrow during the time that your Bullhead is refueling. Once we find your sister and classes resume for you I'll expect you here at three o'clock. You are dismissed." Yang couldn't get out of the office fast enough.

Both Sun and Neptune were waiting for her just outside of the office doors looking anxious. "What was that about?" Sun asked.

"I don't think I've ever seen her look that angry," Neptune said with awe. "Did you mess up that badly?"

Yang collapsed. It was too much. Loss, mistakes, guilt, consequences, and she wasn't even done for the night. She didn't think she could take anymore. Her boys, not that she had any right to think of them as such, kneeled on either side of he, and held her as one without a word. "I did, I really did," she confirmed. Her arms hung at her sides limply and she only stayed upright because of them holding her that way.

They never asked what happened. They just let her cry herself out let her lean on one and then switch to the other. She didn't think she would have been able to get up again without their emotional support. She was so far down that she didn't even notice how well they were acting as a team.

Eventually she regained her composure. There was one thing left for her to do, and this one she had to do without them. It wasn't that she didn't want them with her. She wanted it more than anything, but it wouldn't be right. An apology needed to be done directly without an outsider to what happened holding her hand, emotionally or otherwise. This one did at least. She had put a crack in her friendship with Blake that may always be there. How was she to put something like that to right?

She talked to the nurse before entering Blake's room. She got the specifics of Blake's injuries and couldn't believe just how badly Blake was hurt. The nurse was looking at her like a pariah, which was unnerving when this was Nurse Anderson. She never stopped smiling no matter the situation. She was definitely going to need her guys after this. That would require telling them what she had done, and so far she'd been too ashamed to do that. The only clue she'd given was her earlier breakdown.

Entering the room proper Blake looked worse than she had imagined. One look was all she could do before she had to look at something, anything, else. It was worse than when Glynda had been tearing her down. She wasn't sure if she really deserved forgiveness, but Blake was quick to give it and asked for her own in return.

It floored her. She almost couldn't believe her ears. Blake should be angry. She should be looking for blood. Instead she forgave her quickly, as if it had only been a minor white lie she had told. Then she went one better and asked for her own forgiveness.

 _I don't deserve friends like this,_ she thought to herself. By the time she left Blake had even managed to get a quip out of Yang, though she knew that was a temporary thing. Emotions ebb and flow like the tide, and like the moon Blake had pulled it back. Like any tide though they would return, and when they did she would have to endure the emotional waves that came with it.


	14. Fallen

**Fallen**

The ride back to Signal Academy from Summer Rose's final resting place was unremarkable, except for one stop. The Grimm, which fed on anger, fear, and hatred, would find no food in this couple as the feeling of contentment was sublime. Weiss drove back, mainly because Ruby wanted to sit behind her girlfriend and hug her close, her head on Weiss's back.

"Should we let everyone know we're on our way back?" Weiss asked over her shoulder.

"No. I really want to keep where we went secret from as many people as I can. I don't want anyone following or stopping me the next time I need to visit."

"So you think the nightmares may come back?"

Ruby squeezed Weiss a bit closer. "I don't think so, but who knows for sure?" A little time passed as they continued to share the moment together. Quiet really wasn't Ruby's style though, so after a bit she said "this is so much different than the last time I was here. Last time I had to walk it, which wasn't so bad, but I must have been filled with sadness on the return because the Beowulf pack that met me was huge. Well beyond what I normally see. I was just lucky it was only beowulfs. If it had been ursa I would likely have been dead. This time though I'm leaving happy. Thank you Weiss for coming with me."

Weiss still wasn't entirely comfortable with displaying affection or receiving that display, especially love. She'd never felt it before. The closest she had before Beacon was her mom and she had died when she was eight. After getting to Beacon she had a few flings. Some people she could call a boyfriend, but they had only been infatuations or lust. So when confronted by Ruby's show of love, and feeling them herself, it always made her feel a little uncomfortable. She imagined it wasn't too far from receiving a reward that you weren't sure you deserved.

Normally they were face to face so Ruby could see the conflicting emotions and know what they meant. This time she couldn't. "Did I say something wrong?" Ruby asked, feeling the sudden tension in Weiss's back.

The ATV slowed, and then stopped. There was little doubt that Ruby was starting to get worried. Weiss turned around and faced her directly. "You twit. Of course I came with you. You didn't give me a choice in the matter," she said with an annoyed tone; trying to return to Ruby's question and away from the tension in her back. "I love you too much too..." She hadn't realized what she was going to say until it left her lips. Part of her wanted to take them back, to make the world forget she had said it, but the vast majority of her being was overjoyed.

Ruby had said it every day, and showed that love in undeniable ways before, during, and after saying it. Weiss hadn't. Those were three words she had never been able to force past her lips for anyone past or present, and she had tried. It was rude, honestly, to not reciprocate what Ruby said so often.

And now it was out between them, and Weiss meant every word. She loved Ruby, and her mouth had finally said what her heart had known for two years now. Why did it take so long?

Ruby's face showed a shock that must have been a mirror of her own. It didn't last long. "Oh Weiss! I love you, I love you, I love you!" she said between an unending torrent of kisses. She didn't seem to be able to stop, but then again that was Ruby for you. She wore her heart on her sleeve and when she was happy she couldn't not show it.

Weiss was stoic throughout Ruby's attack, yet knowing and feeling all of it. Her heart was doing things that her body wasn't able to display. When Ruby finally stopped to take a breath, Weiss cut in. "Yes dolt, I love you." It came out easily now. How come it had been so hard before? Whatever the reason the wait had made this moment more profound. Still, she was practical. "Now let's get going. We'll be late getting back to Beacon if we doddle much more."

"Anything you want my Love."

 _Someone help me. She's not going to stop the entire flight home, is she?_ she thought.

* * *

The flight time between Beacon and Signal wasn't that long. About two hours with a good tailwind. It was a simple jump. Weiss expected to be home just after dinner, and finished convincing Yang not to kill them about an hour after that.

She should have set her expectations much lower.

Weiss was admiring the view, a small smile playing on her lips now that Ruby was concentrating on flying and not her. The skies were perfect with soft clouds dotting the air. She had never seen the water look so clear. The breeze as she got onto the plane cooled her as the sun warmed making the temperature the most pleasant of the year. The world was picturesque. The grandeur of the view had nothing to do with those three words of course.

"What the..." Ruby said out of the blue.

Surprised out of her reverie Weiss asked "Ruby?" looking for an explanation.

"We're losing altitude!" Stress was starting to build in her voice.

Ruby stressed was never a good sign. "Why?"

"I don't _know_ ," she replied, her voice definitely scared now. "Mayday, mayday, this is Bullhead seven three alpha kappa." A pause then "Shit. Radio's down." In the years she had known Ruby there was only one other time she remembered her utter a cuss word: when she had brought Weiss back from the edge of the oblivion at the garden. Ruby was terrified, and that scared Weiss.

The analytical portion of Weiss's mind concentrated on the cause of Ruby's fear. She needed the distraction before she fed off of her lover's emotions any further. This was hardly the first life or death situation Ruby had faced. She had always been remarkable at handling it. The answer became obvious quickly. In every other situation Ruby had been on the ground and able to fight back with her cunning and with her scythe. This was something new. Something she had no control over.

Weiss could see her girlfriend pulling back with all she had on the rudder controls. She could also see the water coming closer at an alarming pace. "I'm going to try for a vertical landing. Maybe we can at least make a safe water landing."

Weiss looked out the side window and watched the engine turn from their horizontal position to a vertical one. It did seem to slow them down but the nose was trying hard to drop still. "Prepare for contact in three, two, one," and right on schedule Weiss felt the jarring effects of a rough landing. Her restraints held her firm, but the tilt caused her to bounce forward and knocked the air out of her for a second.

"Ruby, are you okay?" Weiss asked anxiously. No answer. As quickly as her fingers would move the five point harness was taken off. "Ruby?" she asked again as she pulled the straps over her head and got out of her seat. Still no answer. The distance was too short between her seat in the back and the cockpit to call what she did a sprint, but it was a close approximation. On the second step she felt the plane shift under her as if something had hit them. She put it out of her mind, concentrating more on her lover. "Ruby," she said one last time as she got around the chair. She was unconscious, but by all appearances okay. Weiss guessed that the nose being lower had made the impact harder up front.

She remembered her first aid training and put it to use. She checked her pulse before anything else. She found that it was steady and strong which brought a sigh of relief from Weiss. She tried to wake Ruby with no success. She noticed her face was showing signs of pain even though she was unconscious. Unable to ask where it hurt she examined the rest of Ruby to find if there was any injuries. She hadn't moved Ruby in the unlikely case there was a spinal injury. She did however start touching portions of her body and watching her face for a larger reaction. Nothing in the legs or arms, but in the chest she jumped. Feeling gently around the chest she found two broken ribs where the top straps had been. One of them worried Weiss. It was broken in two places and it shifted easily which meant it had torn out of the muscle that held the ribs steady. it was free floating. She would have to be very careful or it could puncture a lung.

As far as Weiss knew laying horizontal was the best place for Ruby to ease her pain, so she laid her carefully onto the floor. Next she took her corset off. She knew any kind of compression over a broken rib was a bad idea. That done she retrieved the first aid kit, which included an O2 mask. She slipped that over Ruby's mouth to help with the breathing, then rolled her onto her side to help be sure that her airway stayed clear. Ruby wasn't in any real danger for now, but Weiss was worried that she hadn't woken up yet.

She pulled out her scroll once Ruby was cared for. They would be close enough to one shore or the other to call for help. Nothing. That simply didn't make sense. She closed her scroll with a mutter and looked at other things to improve their situation.

During this the bumping had continued. With Ruby taken care of as much as could be done under the current conditions, Weiss decided it was time to find out exactly what was causing it. First she tried the easiest and looked out all of the windows. All she saw was water no matter which direction she looked. The only blind spot was directly behind them. She had to assume that was where the bumping originated.

Bullheads were designed to float in an emergency like this one was, so the hatch would be well above the water level. She went to open it, and found it locked, which made no sense since the lock was on the interior. She tried several times, looking for the cause. Maybe it had been damaged in the landing somehow? It really didn't seem possible, but who knew?

Before acting rash and taking the door off with her weapon or her glyphs, she wanted to see if it was possible to take back off. She hoped that whatever was the cause of the forced landing had been a fluke. She doubted it. She tried the engines twice with no response, and then checked her gauges. The fuel tank showed as being empty. That was impossible. It had been filled with Dust right before takeoff and the crash had happened only ten minutes later.

Rushing back to the hatch she pulled out Myrtenaster. She had several glyphs to use, as well as dust fueled attacks from her sword. She unleashed all of them in the course of five minutes. By all accounts the door shouldn't exist any longer, let alone still be attached. Stubbornly it was still there, mocking her and her attempts.

It didn't make sense. None of this made sense! What had forced them down? Why had the nose gone down first? What was the bumping? Why was there no signal? How had the tank been emptied, and most importantly why was the door refusing to open! It couldn't all be a series of coincidences. Everything about this felt sinister.

There was only one last place to attack. Most of the windows were too small to go through, but there was one glaring exception: the forward windshield. The glass was reinforced with mundane manors as well as dust to stand up against bullets, minor explosions, and, most importantly, magic. I direct close ranged attack should be enough to overwhelm those protections. Using her glyphs she prepared her signature thrust, and then released moving forward. She felt the sword's tip hit the glass, pierce slightly, and then bounce off. Forward momentum caused her to run into the glass next, her rapier flying to the side uselessly.

After recovering her balance she looked closer at the glass. She saw exactly what she was afraid to see: dust. She hadn't noticed because the difference was minimal, but the light through it was diffused a yellowish brown. It was only a slight layer, but that's all it needed it to be. She recognized this dust by color; it was one strong in the earth element. It would enhance the glass's natural properties to resist being broken. She tried another attack and noticed that the tinting intensified slightly. One last time to be sure and there was no doubt that the dust got thicker with each attempt and some of it was filling the small holes she did manage to make.

If she had wanted any more proof that this was an attack she had it. It was an attack when a huntress was weakest. When they were unable to defend themselves with the weapons and skills they had honed for at least half of their lives. It was a coward's attack as far as Weiss was concerned. She did have to admire the use of dust though. Her father's company was centered on dust so she had an understanding of it that few experts could match. It wasn't just that dust had been used; it was the way it was used. There was a supply of it located on the plane, most likely on the roof and somehow he, she, or they, were manipulating it without the need to touch it. There were a few semblances that could do that, but they were rare. She didn't bother trying anywhere else. It was a waste of effort. Even if it wasn't covered with dust it would be almost as soon as she tried.

She sat next to Ruby, who still hadn't stirred, and worried about why she hadn't woken up yet. She was starting to get scared for her. Whoever had planned this was well prepared. Did she want to be trapped in a cell made of her own transport, or risk being in the open sea and the elements? Would Ruby be able to deal with it as she was right now?

No, whoever was doing this was too well prepared. She couldn't afford to let him choose the battlefield. "Come on Ruby, we need to go," she whispered knowing that her love could not hear her. She grabbed the O2 tank and wedged it between herself and her girlfriend's limp form. It was entirely possible the last exit had been covered as well, but she didn't think so. If they were using dust it would have washed off underwater.

She latched both of their weapons onto her belt, though Crescent Rose wasn't designed to be carried on hers. Ruby had a special clip for it on her belt.

Going to the back she dropped the loading hatch and with relief felt the water rush around her feet. She wasn't prepared for the rushing water. In seconds she was knocked off her feet and washed to the cockpit. The hatch was large, making the cabin fill up quickly. Desperately she clung to Ruby and made sure the mask didn't dislodge from around her nose and mouth. She prayed that all of the movement wasn't moving that fragmented rib.

As the water covered the forward windshield, she saw the layer of dust wash off; confirming her earlier guess of that limitation. When the cabin was half full Weiss realized Crescent Rose was too heavy for her to swim with. With no choice she unlatched it and swam up as the water level rose.

Once free of the plane she looked around under water, preparing herself for an attack. It didn't come which she was thankful for, but she did catch sight of a humanoid figure swimming away. It was dark and hazy with distance making it look more like a shadow but one thing was easy to pick out: a grimm mask.

* * *

Once on the surface Weiss used some of her dust to freeze a patch of water and used it as a float. Myrtenaster only had a few charges of that dust left. Judging by the warmth of the water each charge should last about five hours. With the use of her glyphs she could make a charge last indefinitely, at least until she ran out of aura or fell asleep. She hoped rescue came soon though.

The last thing to worry about was the surface. Ice had the benefit of floating, but it had the disadvantage of being cold. Ruby's cloak was an excellent insulator luckily, so she was in no discomfort from it. Weiss's cloak wasn't, so she folded it several times to increase its effectiveness and used it as a seat.

Once arranged she checked Ruby. The jostling of their escape had indeed moved the rib a bit more, and Ruby's breathing had become strained, probably from the pain. With the tip of her sword she broke off a chunk of ice and used it where they were broken to ease the swelling. The best interval was fifteen minutes on, fifteen minutes off. Unfortunately her scroll had been waterlogged from the swim and wasn't turning back on. She settled for approximations.

Worse than the broken ribs was the loss of Crescent Rose. People never appreciate the connection between a huntress and her weapon. They made them themselves, without exception, for a reason. In the creation process they bonded with it. Those who didn't never truly awakened their semblance, or gained complete controlled over their aura. Jaune was a prime example of what happened when they tried. He didn't make his own until his third semester and the difference was immediate. Their weapons were extensions of their auras and, quite literally, they became a part of them. To lose your weapon was the same as losing an arm, and if far enough away it could cripple the use of their Aura.

The bottom of the sea would do it.

Ruby was already injured. The loss of her weapon was adding strain. When they got back to Beacon Ruby would be able to make a new weapon and bond with it. Until then she would be a shadow of herself. Even when she regained consciousness it was unlikely she would be able to use her aura enough to heal herself, or even stabilize the wound.

Weiss wasn't sure where they were at this point. She knew that whoever was pushing their bullhead had moved them away from where the search party would have been looking, but she didn't know how far. She could have gotten her bearings if she had still been in the sea between Patch and Vale. She would have been able to see either Patch or Vale's shores, which she couldn't. That meant they were heading towards the ocean and well beyond where they should have been.

Unable to do anything else for her, she held Ruby's head on her lap and sang to her. She hoped that some portion of the song would come through to Ruby and comfort her. The first few notes were rough. She hadn't sung for almost six years, she had learned to hate that talent as she associated it with her father. Her singing wasn't out of love for him. It was out of a desperate need to please him. Then she found out about the underhanded dealings she was being used to cover up. That was the day the last note had left her throat.

But her voice remembered its training. She ran through the scales a few times to warm up and the notes got stronger with each one. It didn't feel the same, and she wasn't sure why. Her singing had always felt cold and unfeeling before, but singing for Ruby, even though she was unconscious, brought out something new. She hadn't realized it when she started, but she knew how she could express her feelings now. With tears that she couldn't afford to lose falling down her face, her voice rose with joy and release as she sang. The last song she had done all those years ago was one of sadness and isolation. This one was anything but. Unbelievably the feelings only grew stronger.

She sang that song now. Mutating it from the original, it now was a song of joy and love. It was rough, but the emotion behind it was pure. She sang the last lines knowing she would revisit these lyrics and perfect them; for her. "Mirror tell me something. Who's the happiest of all? I'm the most loved of all."

She wanted to sing more, to experience this pleasure and the pride in her voice she had never known. The practical side of her knew better though. This one song alone was more than she should have done. The tears were definitely over the limit. She needed to conserve as much water as she could, even her tears.

After an hour Weiss realized that the elements weren't going to be kind. The beautiful sky she had been admiring before was now beating down on them relentlessly. The heat wasn't the problem, of course. They were sitting on ice, but they were going to start to burn. She'd seen third degree burns during her training, and they weren't something to take lightly.

Weiss could exert a small amount of Aura to keep her skin from the sun's effects. A sun burn took time, so aura had little trouble keeping up with healing the damage. It required so little that she would replenish her strength faster than she was using it.

Ruby, on the other hand, wasn't going to be able to do that while unconscious. She hated to do it, but she stopped putting the cooling water on her forehead. That wetness would only magnify the effects of the sun. She also pulled her cloak so not only was it under her, it was over her as well.

Dehydration was starting to be noticeable after about six hours. She knew better than to drink the salty sea no matter how desperate she was for water. They only had three days she figured before they would be at risk of dying. Surely they would be found before that.

At night she risked sleeping. Her glyph holding the frozen raft would disappear but it was necessary. She remembered how dysfunctional she had become when she avoided sleep to watch Ruby not that long ago. She couldn't get that way now, for both their sakes.

The second day was much like the first. Weiss had only slept five hours, even asleep she was conscious of the need to only sleep for short periods. Even with the covering of Ruby's cloak burns were starting to show. Her O2 had run out long ago and was now floating somewhere behind them. With any luck it might give the search party that had to be out there an idea of where to look.

Both of them were parched, lips starting to chap from the lack of fluids. She was starting to get drowsy but fought the need knowing it was an effect of the dehydration. She couldn't afford to sleep yet.

About the time the sun sat muscle cramps had begun. She couldn't walk them off. Their ice boat wasn't steady enough for that. All she could do was massage them. The worse was her fingers. Not in pain, but in the lack of function. It was odd to see her fingers lock into a crooked position as the forearm muscles contracted without her telling them too. Odd and scary as hell knowing this was only the start.

The painful cramps were coming from the larger muscles, primarily her legs. She knew Ruby had to be having similar problems though she had yet to regain consciousness. She massaged Ruby's muscles since she couldn't do it herself. That had the added benefit of working her fingers to keep the cramping to a minimum.

Once night had truly settled in she gave in to her fatigue and nearly passed out. She was afraid she might not wake up. She was also afraid that if she did the worse portion might start to settle in: the delirium and hallucinations. It might be a relief, in all reality, but losing one's senses is the terror that most warriors feared the most. At least in battle she knew that her death was in her own hands.

"Weiss, wake up," a familiar whisper came to her ears, so sweet and welcomed.

"Ruby?" her brain was foggy from the effects of the elements. She licked cracked lips to wet them and found her tongue was too dry to provide it.

The sun hadn't risen yet, so they were safe again, and now Ruby could at least try to fight off the effects of the sun. It would be hard though given how bad the burns were already, and the lack of Crescent Rose.

She felt her leg getting patted. It was past the point of hurting, having reached a level that the brain refused to accept. "Yes. Uhg. I don't know if I want to be though. How many ribs?" She was panting with the effort to talk but determined.

"Two that I know of, one in two spots," her voice cracked. "Don't move too much. I don't want that one to puncture your lung." She checked her mental calendar and wasn't sure how many days it had been since their crash. Two now? She should know, but it was getting hard to think. If she was right the dehydration was going to be severe enough to be life threatening tomorrow. Maybe that's why the final attack hadn't come. It didn't need to.

"Think we're going to die?" Ruby asked, her own voice more of a croak.

Weiss wanted to be upbeat and supportive, but she just couldn't. "Yeah."

She could practically feel the smile on Ruby's face. "I got to hear you say 'I love you' before the end," and then sang, very off key, "I'm the most loved of all."

"Dolt."

Not long after that unconsciousness claimed her again. This time it was not sleep, but a much deeper level. A dreamless place devoid of pain, of thirst, and of thought. It was peaceful, and on some level of the thoughtless void she knew that Ruby was near. Maybe dying this way wasn't so bad.

Into the darkness voices intruded and eventually brought her back to painful reality. She tried to register who, and if it was a hallucination. Those couldn't be much longer in coming. She wasn't sure. Everything was blurry, and spinning. Their words didn't make sense, sounding jumbled. She tried to say "Ruby first," but wasn't sure if her mouth had even moved. She felt a pinch on the inside of her right elbow, and then coolness rush down to her fingers of that hand. Unconsciousness claimed her again not long after that pinch, assuming she hadn't been asleep the entire time and this was all a dream.

* * *

A strong male voice, full of disappointment. "I told you to watch but not interfere."

"I saw an opportunity and I took it. I didn't have time to clear it with you." The scared voice said, sounding even more scared than before knowing he'd angered the other.

"They are to remain alive. I told you this," the voice said, strong, steady, yet terrible rage heard in its undertones.

"I'm sorry. I..," his voice was cut off suddenly.

A hand had reached out and pulled the scared voice's mask off. "Not enough."

Into the silence he mused. "They did manage to survive though, and a lot of useful information was gathered. This will be interesting."


	15. Hide and Seek

**Hide and Seek**

"We found them," Yang heard over the com, and sagged instantly with relief.

Her voice on the other hand was excited, "Where, how are they? How long until you can get them to Beacon?" She wanted to ask more, but couldn't think of what. Everything!

"Yang, calm down," said the voice on the com. It had taken two days but everyone now knew to call her Yang without her having to threaten bodily harm. "They're in bad shape. Mainly dehydration and severe sunburn as far as we can tell. We're in the middle of making a controlled water landing so we can assess their condition. Neither appear to be conscious but we don't know anything else."

"And?" That had only been one answered question.

"Grid A1, nearest the southwest corner," he answered after the prompting. "It will take us about three more minutes to land and assess their injuries. Until we know that we will not know the rest." All it took was a look at the pilot and she felt the bullhead turn in the right direction and speed off.

Closer to two minutes the pilot on the recovery vehicle spoke up again. "Update, medic confirms they are alive and are safe to move onto our bullhead. We will need to move Ms. Rose carefully so it will take us about ten minutes to get her onboard."

"Hey, how long till we get to them?" she asked the pilot, realizing from what he'd just said that Ruby was injured."

He checked his instruments. "ETA Six minutes."

Yang pulled out her sister's weapon which had been with her on every flight since she had found it. She petted it lovingly much like she'd seen Ruby do any number of times. "You'll be back with her soon enough," she said to it.

"Uh, are you going to dive into the water again ma'am?"

She smiled, remembering that descent without pain now that she knew her sister was alive. "No, I'll need to be lowered this time so I can deliver Crescent Rose." She wasn't sure, but Yang thought she heard a sigh of relief from the pilot.

No matter what the injury having her weapon back could only help Ruby. The huntsmen and huntresses had, for the most part, stayed with their teams when they boarded a transport. Yang had been an exception. That was the only way it could be with one in the hospital, and the other two were the ones they were looking for.

She wasn't alone though. She looked across and gave Neptune and Sun the first smile, without any sign of pain, they had seen since they had arrived. She was almost giddy. The smile wasn't enough and she went to them and pulled their heads down onto her shoulders, hugging them. "We have them! It's going to be okay!" She turned her head and kissed the cheek that was there, Sun's, and then turned her head the other direction and kissed the other cheek, Neptune's.

They still were not happy with the compromise and now that Ruby was found Yang was aware that they all were going to have to talk. At that moment she didn't care. These were the two that had held her together for the last two days, and they were both getting a double dose of joy for the immediate reward. More was to come later if she had her way.

"Need... breath..." Sun gasped.

Oops. She let them go and backed off, her smile getting bigger by the second. She couldn't resist for long as she jumped at them again, pulling them both into a more traditional group hug.

"Not... better..." Neptune gasped.

"There's no pleasing either of you, is there?" she laughed, letting them go.

Sun fell backwards into his seat, echoed by Neptune. "Maybe it is a good idea to share her bro. Too much of this and she's going to kill me."

Neptune chuckled. "So you're going to pawn her off to me so you can have a break?"

"Do you blame me?" the faunus replied. "Besides, it's not as if you won't like it."

"You might have a point," He admitted. "If she doesn't kill me instead."

Yang knew they were just joking around, but she didn't care about that. Everything was wonderful right now. _Humor is a good sign,_ she reasoned. _They might just come to accept me as I am_.

But yet again, she didn't care. She was literally minutes from being with her sister again. The future can sort its own self out. The now is beautiful.

"We're there ma'am. They have just been loaded onto the transport below us," the pilot said unnecessarily. Yang had been watching over his shoulder as soon as the other craft was in sight.

"Okay, lower me with the rope," she said with unrestrained joy.

"Roger that."

She gave her boys a kiss each, then headed to the drop line hanging out the hatch and grabbed it. While being lowered she tried to catch any sight of Ruby. The angle was bad until the last few moments, and her nirvana instantly left. She was trained to know how to handle extreme dehydration, and seen pictures in her first aid classes, and she had seen second degree burns. It was different when you see it on those you love.

She took in that both had IV's in their arms with what she expected to be saline in the large bag along with potassium and magnesium in the smaller ones. Neither were moving. The tech looked up at the new arrival. Even if she hadn't been famous the flight crew would know who she was from the activity of the last few days. She hadn't been exactly quiet. "It's okay. I have them sedated until they're in better shape."

"They'll be in pain, but let them regain consciousness," Yang advised. "They can help with their own healing processes that way."

"Really?" he asked in surprise. "I knew huntresses and huntsmen were tough, but I didn't know that tidbit."

"First time working on one of us?" He nodded. "They're just as human as you so treat them like a normal patient. Just know that your heal times will be a quarter of what you expect when they are conscious. Even faster on minor things like cuts and scrapes. We are just as susceptible to things like infections so keep an eye out for that." As she said that she saw the antibiotic creams starting to be applied to her sister.

She couldn't help but twitch a little. Huntsmen were tough, but pain is pain. Her eyes were glued to the scene though, as she asked "So how bad is it?"

"Ms. Schnee only seems to be dehydrated. It's extreme, but she will recover in about three days." He stopped for a second collecting his thoughts. "I guess that'll be under a day for her. We have to make sure that giving them fluids this quickly won't do damage to her kidneys, but she doesn't seem to have suffered any other complications."

He changed his gaze to Ruby. "Your sister, on the other hand, is much worse for wear. Dehydration the same as Ms. Schnee and about the same prognosis. The burns are fairly obvious. They're second degree, but thankfully that's the worse they are. Those can take up to three weeks to heal." Again he paused. "A little under a week to heal and they will likely scar. Her recovery will be excruciatingly painful for her I'm sorry to tell you. We've already cleaned them, and, as you can see, we're now applying antibiotic ointment to the affected areas. Once that is done we'll be wrapping them in gauze."

Yang nodded. "The last two are less obvious, and we really can't do much about either of them but let them heal naturally. The first is two broken ribs. Judging by their positions I'm guessing they were caused by her harness when she crashed. One is only a fracture and not a problem. The other one was free floating, but it looks like the muscles are reincorporating it already. She's lucky. That could have easily punctured a lung. Normally it takes about six weeks to heal completely, so less than two for her. Besides some deep breathing exercises all she'll have to do is avoid too much vigorous activity."

Yang chuckled at that involuntarily. They might have to tie her down for that to happen.

"The last is the back of her head. I need proper ex-rays to know for sure but I think she hit it, possibly against her headrest, fairly hard. There's bruising back there and her eyes are unresponsive. She'll likely be blind when she wakes up I think." He raised a hand to stop the outburst. "If she is it's going to be temporary, but I can't tell you how long until she regains her sight. Could be a matter of hours or it could be a few months. Regardless of how quickly she heals this one could be with her for a long time."

Yang looked at her sister, still showing relief, but concern. "So she'll be okay, eventually. That's enough. She's going to really hate being blind though." She smiled, recapturing some of her earlier joy. "She'll be fun to pick on once the burns heal, assuming she's still blind by then."

* * *

It took about five hours to fly back to Beacon during which she watched the bandages being applied. Her hands and face seemed to have gotten the worse of it. The doctor at the clinic confirmed all of the medic's diagnoses. The ex-ray showed no damage to her skull. She had regained consciousness, and the pain was as bad as the doctor had predicted.

When Weiss regained consciousness Yang started to question her on what happened. What she got told made almost as little sense to her as it had to Weiss. She was tempted to write them off as delusions, but it had all happened before she was exposed to the elements, and she was quite aware of her surroundings now.

Her mind latched onto one thing in the story: she had seen a grimm mask. That was White Fang. No matter what Blake had done Yang knew there were still portions of it that were violent. Apparently they were more dangerous than they had thought. That wasn't going to last long. They'd just gone after the wrong person's sister, and Yang was ready for blood.

She really did want to stay with her sister, but there wasn't much she could do there. She didn't want to admit it, but she just couldn't handle watching Ruby in that much pain. Weiss had promised to stay at her side until she healed, and Yang didn't have any trouble believing it simply because she didn't expect any less. They might as well keep a second bed in Ruby's room because Weiss wouldn't leave for anything. The expression on her face, usually so cold and distant, was etched with worry.

Leaving them behind her next stop was obvious. If White Fang was involved there was only one person to see, Blake. "How long they keeping you prisoner?" she asked her friend with a smile.

"Tonight." She looked closer at Yang. "You're not here just for that."

It'd figure that she'd pick up on it right way, not that Yang was really trying to hide it. One of the things Yang liked about Blake was her tendency to say as little as possible which meant she got straight to the point. "I know you've done a lot of work bringing in the White Fang and turning them into this Phoenix thing. I need to know how bad the portion is that you haven't convinced."

"I don't know for sure. They are harder to ferret out. They have the same problems at merging as my portion, as well as a few other reasons. Now they're paranoid so they aren't making much noise." Yang figured, correctly, that they were paranoid because Phoenix was taking down cell after cell. Blake looked one more time at Yang, curious as a cat. "What is this about?"

For the first time Yang allowed some of her anger to show through. "We don't know much about what happened, or how, but Weiss said she definitely saw someone with a grimm mask swimming away when they left the plane."

"So it's a hunt then?" Blake said flatly.

Yang wasn't nearly as flat. She was too excited. This is a problem she could deal with. "We aren't called Huntresses because of our fashion sense."

Yang was having trouble telling if the flat tones were disapproval, or just her being 'Blakey.' "No, but not for faunus."

"These mongrels aren't faunus," Yang spit. "They're rabid dogs that need to be put down."

Blake tipped her head to the side analyzing Yang from a new perspective. Ever since she had stopped trying to hide what she was, these little catlike motions were starting to surface. It was cute. "You may have a point, but don't do anything that'll get you thrown in jail. The cops may give you a little leeway, but there are limits." Her voice sounded more normal. That is to say it was still flat, but not completely devoid of emotion.

Yang chuckled, managing to sound both happy and bloodthirsty at the same time. "You know me," she said as she turned to leave.

"Exactly." Yang didn't notice Blake reaching for her scroll next to her bed as she closed the door.

On leaving she looked at frick and frack sitting in a couple of uncomfortable hospital chairs. "Want to go on a hunt boys?"

"Depends on who we're hunting," Sun replied.

Again she gave that smile. It was the old Yang that had been missing the last few days. There was a fight to be had. It was the type of problem she was designed for. "The assholes that tried to kill my sister and Weiss."

Both nodded. "You know who?" Neptune asked.

"Not exactly," Yang said as she used one hand to punch the other hand's palm. "but I've got a place to start, and if he's been holding out I'm going to tear his place apart."

They looked at each other and used a form of silent communication only friends who had known each other since early childhood had. After a few seconds they looked back towards her. "Sounds fun," Sun said as Yang had expected.

"It wouldn't be a party without me," Neptune said, folding his hands behind his head and leaning back. Yang supposed the pose was supposed to look cool, in Neptune's head at least. He did do it pretty smoothly.

Still, it was time to demonstrate one of the reasons she was interested in him. Standing over him, she looked down and smiled. It was a wonderful, happy smile, full of rainbows and unicorns, and Neptune instantly looked nervous for some reason. Reaching down she grabbed the nose of his goggles and pulled them out and released them. She chuckled as his head went backwards in reaction to the impact. "Right, let's go," she said still chuckling at the expression on Neptune's face. She turned and walked off.

"You know she really is going to kill you one of these days," Sun commented.

"Yeah," his friend replied. "For some reason that doesn't seem to be enough to make me run away though."

Yang didn't think either one of them realized they were starting to act as if Neptune was dating her already. She probably should let them stay ignorant. It'll be more likely to make a good transition when this little bubble of activity ended and things returned to normal. Assuming they ever went for it. If not she had to face the possibility of losing them both. She didn't really want to think about that though. It was the future; time to take care of the now.

"Hurry up or I'm leaving you behind, and you'll miss out on the fun," she said over her shoulder with a wink.

* * *

Their destination was the Club. Neptune was familiar with it, but she'd never taken Sun there yet. She never had a reason to. The only time she came here was for a fight or to sweat Junior out of some information.

Tonight it was both.

She'd warned her partners of what to expect, and why it was going to go down as it was. Both agreed, though with reservations. Yang didn't blame them. She knew she was letting her temper get the better of her and she didn't really care.

Bumblebee wasn't exactly designed for three, so they settled for a car they borrowed from Jaune. They parked a block away. No point in damaging it. Yang wasn't sure she could afford to repair it. She wasn't sure all three of them together could pay for it.

Walking around the corner she noted that the two bouncers at the door had been upped to six, four of them armed with machine guns. Well, that'd be a good warm-up. She would normally have said something cheeky, charm them, and walk on by. It had worked last time, and most times before that.

Tonight was not a normal night. She walked up to them casually until they noticed her. Using her gauntlets she fired off two rounds behind her. With that added momentum she ran at them, and jumped at the last second to bring a knee to the closest goon's chin. Still moving forward she reached the henchman behind him. The downward thrust of her fist knocked him out before he had processed there was an attack. None of the others had a chance to react either as she landed in a kneeling position and gave a textbook leg sweep to the nearest man still standing. She continued her spin while rising on her pivot foot to land a spinning roundhouse on the fourth's head. Finally she dropped back down to fire a finishing blow to the third's jaw.

"Whoa," Neptune said, letting go of his red shaded stooge, his jaw dropped.

Sun smiled, dropping his own. "Yeah, don't get on her bad side."

"Noted."

Now that got the blood flowing. "Warm-ups done. Let's go on to the main course."

Unlike normal she didn't leave anyone standing to run in and warn those inside. "Mind if I take the twins?" Neptune asked as they walked down the short breezeway between the outside and the club proper.

"Be my guest. I think they're tired of me kicking their asses."

Neither Sun nor Neptune was in a position to see it, but Yang's eyes had turned red. While it was an uncontrolled response from her temper, she had also learned to do it at will thanks to Raven. As she understood it, this was a remarkably rare ability. It amplified her physical attributes as well as her semblance at the cost of an increased loss of Aura. She was either going to finish this quickly, or she wasn't going to finish. She could afford to burn through her Aura this time.

The two doors ahead were designed to slide open in opposite direction. Though the doors were large enough to give a truck entrance, they normally opened only enough to let one person in at a time. That wasn't as grand of an entrance as she wanted. When she got close it started to do as it was designed. Before it could she punched the right door full strength with ember Celica amplifying the force. The door went off its tracks and flew to the right. In rapid succession the left side got the same treatment.

"Hey Junior, you've been holding out on me," she said into the sudden silence. "Not wise."

"No idea what you're talking about Blondie!" he yelled back from the opposite side of the building.

A quick scan of the dance floor confirmed that the patrons had fled as she expected. Now she could let loose. Between her, Sun, and Neptune it would be easy to clear the floor, even with the extra muscle. That wasn't why she was here though. Beating up some mooks wasn't going to hurt Junior. "Let's see how long you hold that tune," she fired back, and then walked towards the main support column.

She only paid attention to the column and the men armed with fists and swords. In an almost casual manner she took each one out as soon as they got to her. When they tried to overwhelm her she proved just how silly their attempt was.

As for the armed ones she knew that Sun was doing his job, and heard them falling in the distance. It was good having someone you could trust to cover your back. It's why RWBY worked so well together. It's also why her, Neptune, and Sun were going to demolish this place.

Speaking of Neptune she spared a glance at him taking on the Malachite sisters, and chuckled under her breath. Yang knew why he wanted them. They'd bruised his ego the only time he'd been here with their noses in the air. They were finding out now that the peacock had claws. It was an even fight, mostly. Neptune had improved a lot in the last four years, but so had Melanie and Maltia. Yang knew he'd win, eventually, but that wasn't the point. As long as he was fighting them, they weren't fighting her.

She noticed Junior bring out that rocket launcher of his. It was a desperate act. She'd proven that none of its ammo would hit her the very first time she'd been here. He didn't get a chance. Sun's bo staff converted to a pistol, fired a round that broke Junior's weapon off at the handle, then switch to numchucks to hit the guy to his right. It was all done in one fluid motion and the blink of an eye.

With the major players busy, or out of play, it was only a matter time before Yang reached the column. "You know what happens when I punch this, don't you Junior?" He looked like a black and white photo with his suddenly pale skin and dark hair. "So, going to tell me everything yet?"

She had thought that he would fold under the pressure. She was wrong. "You're crazy!"

Yang knew he had more information. There wasn't a doubt in her mind. She had fought here any number of times. Sometimes to get information, like tonight, sometimes just for fun. Every time the security had been about the same. She knew it wasn't worth the extra money to hire more just to stop her when she only showed a couple of times a year. The cost of the security would be more than the slight damage she did.

Last time Yang was here she'd noticed more security. She hadn't thought much of it. She knew it wasn't for her or they would have reacted to her when she had entered. At the time that's all she had cared about. Now though she had to wonder, what was he scared of? And why was he so scared of it that even beaten he was willing to lose his entire club than give in?

It was suddenly silent in the club. The goons who hadn't been knocked unconscious, or too hurt to move, had run out the doors. This left Sun nothing to do but smile over his handiwork. Looking at Neptune she just caught the last sister drop.

 _Well, looks like the fun is over,_ she decided, _I might as well just ask._

She dropped her fists, Ember Celica going back to bracelets, and walked towards Junior as if they were old friends. "You know, I do believe you might be more scared of someone else than me," she said conversationally. "I think that someone is responsible for trying to kill my sister, in case you are wondering. So who might that be? If it's someone worse than me, in my current mood, you should have put in more security than this cause it was pretty pathetic." She cocked a smile, thinking of something. "They weren't here to stop him, were they? You wanted them to just slow him down enough for you to get your sorry ass out of here." He visibly flinched at that last sentence. This was getting more and more interesting by the second.

"I'm not going to get anything out of you as long as you're afraid for your life," she sighed dramatically. "So, how about you give me a small clue instead? That's not much to ask between friends, is it?"

Did she smell..? _Oh god, he just pissed himself._

"Let's go boys," she said, leaving the carnage, and a thoroughly emasculated man, behind her. "This is a dead end."

 _Well, not completely, but I'm not going to tell Junior that._


	16. Emblem

**Emblem**

Heading towards the infirmary, Ozpin moved at a casual pace as if it was simply another day. It wasn't. Ever since Sunday it has never been a regular day. On Sunday Ruby Rose and Weiss had disappeared. On Monday and Tuesday they had searched for them. Ozpin had suspended classes and allowed every team that was capable and willing to join in on the search. That was all of them, of course.

Today was no different. If anything it was the strangest day so far, at least for him and what he knew. He had done everything within his power to find his two missing students, but it was already too late. If he was right, and he had been sure he was right, they were dead before he had known they were missing.

Looking over the report Ozpin made several notes mentally. The first report was from the black box Yang had recovered from the wreckage. It told him this had not been an accident, nor had it been just an attack from the air. It had been sabotage from before they had ever left the hanger.

The transponder, as well as the radio and all of their redundant systems, had been set to deactivate as soon as they reached altitude. That was made clear to him by the fact that both were working as they should. Then they cut off without any warning alarms at five hundred feet. It was confirmed by what the salvage team had found in the electronics. Whoever had done the sabotage was good at what he did. For added measure there had been a signal jammer located in the rear cargo area. The ability to call for help had been completely removed.

He had gotten the security feeds from the hanger their bullhead had been stored. It only confirmed that it had been sabotage. He had watched as the member of White Fang walked past the single faunus guard without a challenge, and into their plane. An hour later he saw him leave. The grimm mask obscured his face so there was no way to find out who it was, but it meant that their enemy had allies. He would be writing a recommendation to Signal on how to improve their security. It would be politely written, but he was sure his dissatisfaction would be easily noted.

The salvage team had made one other discovery that disturbed him, yet was expected. While the bullhead wasn't damaged on the top, the underside showed damage that could not be explained by anyone; anyone except himself and Raven. The metal was twisted and ripped, and had stress fractures along the surface as if pulled downward. Given the quality of armor bullhead's used, mostly to defend against nevermores and other grimm that might attack in trips between kingdoms, the force to cause that damage was frightening. The shredded metal was not enough to bring the plane down, but it did explain how it was delivered.

What had been found inside those tears was the cause. It had been spent and inert but it wasn't a long jump to know it was the cause of the crash.

Put together it confirmed what had he had suspected from the start. So the question was why had they been allowed to live? He really should tell Glynda what he'd found, but first he had questions to ask Weiss.

He knew Yang Xiao Long had gone searching for answers. She would not be on the right track. None of them would and he did not wish her to be in serious harm so did not correct that. Team RWBY also had an unexplainable ability to find answers when others could not. It was possible she would find something without his help. He hoped not, but he would not stand in their way either. That was their path to take. There was a difference between not helping and obstructing.

It was a good thing that the rest of her teammates were unable to help her, or he would have little doubt they could find out too much.

He needed answers not in any of the reports. He opened the last door to his destination. "Weiss, I need to speak with you if you do not mind."

* * *

Weiss held Ruby's shoulder, unable to look away. Ruby was asleep, though she was still whimpering even then. She wanted to hold her girlfriend's hand, but that only made the pain worse. The shoulder had been saved from the burns, so that's where she held possessively. Ruby would recover, and it would be a complete recovery. The doctor had told her that the burns would have been much worse had Weiss not turned her regularly. It had evened out the exposure.

It hadn't been enough.

There was a lot of training over her four years at Beacon. Most of it had nothing to do with combat. History, first aid, triage, business, ethics, and Psychology also rounded out the curriculum. That last had concentrated on much more than just loss management. She recognized that her feelings were standard survivor's guilt. Normally it is associated to death, but it could also be applied to those who are hurt. She knew what it was, but it was only helping with the guilt slightly. It wouldn't truly be gone until Ruby was healed.

And until then she was not leaving Ruby's side.

She had little to do while she watched, so she sang. It was quietly done, and unlike when they were at sea she sang songs she knew for most of her life. She had decided earlier that she would sing it to her again, but not until she finished refining it. It had to be perfect. Their song. She wanted to say that she sang quietly so she wouldn't wake Ruby, but that wasn't it. Weiss sang quietly every time whether awake or asleep. She wanted this to be between them. Ruby had brought out the emotions locked away in her voice. It was a way to show her what she couldn't show any other way yet. This was private, special. Ruby understood when she had asked, though she strongly disagreed that Weiss was incapable of showing it in other ways.

"Weiss, I need to speak with you if you do not mind," the headmaster said mildly.

She'd been so intent upon her singing she hadn't noticed him enter and jumped at the interruption. She regained her composure quickly. "What do you need to know Headmaster?" She had been expecting this visit. She just hadn't known when.

Ozpin sipped his coffee, managing to give the impression of amusement with no clear sign of how. "Ah yes. I understand your need to make this quick and I will accommodate you as well as possible." It would figure he noticed that. He noticed everything. "I know you have already described what had happened on the crash and after. I have read the report on it and wish to know a few details that I want clarification on."

Weiss nodded her understanding, her right hand never leaving Ruby's shoulder.

"Good." Ozpin said and took a seat on the other side of Ruby's bed. Weiss was glad he hadn't asked to do this outside of the room. She wouldn't have gone. Most likely the Headmaster already knew that. "I need clarification on the nature of the dust, and you are uniquely suited to answering it well beyond the fact you saw it in action."

Weiss shied away from the memories of her father and sister that request had brought up, and instead concentrated on what had been asked. "Okay, well I believe the first indication of dust was the hatch. I cannot think of any other way that I was unable to open it."

"Most bullheads, including the one you were in, use armor plating throughout," the Headmaster pointed out conversationally. "I understand you are a capable huntress but your attacks are based on finesse and skill more than power. Is it possible that it was simply built strong enough to withstand your attacks?"

Weiss smiled with pardonable pride. "That is simply not possible sir. The first things I destroyed were the hinges and latch. After that it should fall out by its own weight. It took those attacks and several others. Everything in my arsenal in fact. No matter how strong it was there is no conceivable way it would stay standing without help."

"I see. How much dust would it require to cause that kind of barrier?"

"Hmm..." That was a tricky question as there were many variables. She started with the type of dust. "Earth based dust would be the obvious choice, and that was confirmed with what I later found on the windshield. Perhaps ten inches at the thinnest with standard store grade dust."

"Let's add in this ability for the dust to move and assume absolute purity, what would it require?"

Weiss cocked her head, a finger under her chin as she contemplated the question. It was an odd one since the variables he specified were impossible. "I could be significantly thinner. Under an inch if it is able to move fast enough to recover where it was struck."

"Like what you observed on the windshield?"

"That is both a yes and a no. Yes that is the effect I am thinking of; but no because on the door I was not able to damage the exterior metal at all, but with the glass I did get through but not the dust," she said. Her thoughts got deeper as she concentrated on what had happened. "And when I pulled my sword away the sand not only recovered what I had damaged, but a small amount of it also came inside as if it was having trouble holding the hole together."

"Glass is more brittle," Ozpin pointed out.

"Yes, and that was my first thought as well, but I don't know," she said with unease. "It doesn't set well with me. If the dust can move like that why not simply come inside and protect the glass from both sides?"

Ozpin nodded in understanding. "That is a valid point. Can you think of another reason?"

"Two. The most obvious is whoever was doing this had a limited amount of dust to use. In that case the dust that came in to reinforce the window would likely have been from what was holding the hatch together." It really was obvious; if you worked around the fact it was impossible.

"And the other?" he prompted.

"There is a limitation to however the dust is being controlled that prevented it." Well if she was going to work with impossibilities, she might as well look at it from her first thought she had on the bullhead; that it was being done by someone's semblance. "Every semblance had limitations."

"Limitations are an important item to know should we run into this again," Ozpin noted, though not sounding entirely pleased. "Speaking of, why do you think the cargo hatch was not guarded against?"

"That's easy," Weiss said for the first time showing some animation since it was the one thing knew. "Dust reacts the same way as sand when it comes to water. It simply won't stick to anything when submerged. When it sank I saw the dust on the windshield fall off."

"That gives me something to think on, thank you Weiss," the Headmaster said as he sat in thought for a minute.

Ruby was showing signs of waking and she didn't want to spare her any pain from memories. "You mentioned a couple of things you wished to talk about?"

"Yes." Ozpin showed a bit more life. It was a subject less troubling for him then. "The second is unrelated to your ordeal however."

That was a relief. "What is that?"

"I understand that you are no longer associated to the Schnee Dust Company." So much for relief.

Weiss couldn't help it. She looked down and to the right; directly at Ruby's face. It was wrapped in gauze, but it still reminded her that she wasn't alone. "That's a polite way of saying my father disowned me. Yes, that is true. I haven't been trying to hide it; I'm also not advertising it. I know he hasn't made any comments publicly because of the PR damage it could cause. He's hoping that people will simply forget I exist before he passes the company to Winter." There, she said it. It had hurt, but she knew it was inevitable that Ozpin would approach her. She knew how the rest of the conversation was going to go from this point on.

"That is as I expected," he said. Weiss knew from his tone that he'd known how this conversation was going to go as well. They were both simply going through the motions. "I also noted that you no longer wear the SDC's emblem as your own."

"I don't have any right to do so now." It sounded so simple, but no matter how emotionally healed she may be, there would always be a tender spot, and it was getting pushed.

"So have you given any thought on a new one to replace it with?"

She had actually, but it was a silly idea that she wasn't sure why she even entertained. Emblems were an important thing however. Upon graduation all students have their emblems tattooed onto them. It signified they were fully trained to their employers who could quickly look it up on their scroll. That speed also was useful should they fall to identify a body. If she didn't have an emblem she would never be considered graduated. She could, of course, simply ignore this and leave when her training was complete. She would not be able to make as much; no one would know for sure how well trained she was, but with a few demonstrations she could get a job. It would be easier to find a job than most in her case after the battle last year. However, why not get one? It is a simple thing.

"I can see you have an idea from your expression. Please draw it out and turn it in to the administration office," he advised. It was a gentle push, but they both knew that it was needed soon.

"Um... An idea yes, but I'm not sure of it." Actually she was sure, but it was still an idea she didn't know if it would be accepted. "This is an important decision that after graduation will be with me forever."

"Quite right; graduation is in six weeks. We will need your decision two weeks before that. Will that be a problem?"

"I'm sure I will have one decided on before then." No she wasn't. She only had one in mind, and she was obsessed with it. What would she do if it wasn't possible?

Ozpin appeared to accept her answer and started to stand. "Have a good evening, and give my best to Ruby if you could."

* * *

Ozpin was uneasy after the conversation with Weiss. She was too close to the truth, as he suspected would be the case. She was well attuned to dust not to have some accurate guesses. At this point they were educated guesses so it is possible she would pick the wrong one. He hoped so.

There was one main item she had not figured out yet and he hoped she would remain ignorant of it. One that was outside her expertise, and the enemy had been careful to not be seen clearly.

What still bothered Ozpin the most was why were they left alive? He would need to look further.

* * *

"I'm the most loved of all," Ruby had told her. How could she know Weiss's feelings that well? Weiss didn't know how she felt half the time. No, that wasn't true. She knew. She'd known long before they'd started dating. She had finally been able to admit it that Sunday fully and without hesitation.

Was that why she kept picturing her new emblem as she had? As a method to show her affection? No, it was more than that.

She wanted to make it a surprise for Ruby, as most anyone would, but she wasn't sure how she would take it. Weiss thought it would be positive. She hoped so. She needed it in fact. Much like the day she had admitted her fears to Ruby in the garden she felt she was leaving herself open. That alone spoke of the strength behind her decision.

'The strength of her decision.' Shouldn't that have been a question? No, she had decided. It was time, for better or worse. If it was rejected she would have to come to terms with it then and move onwards.

She pulled out her scroll and called Jaune. Besides Yang, who she knew was busy; he had the fastest mode of transportation. "What's up Weiss?" he said casually. He somehow had managed to combine his hard won confidence with his boyish charm. She still wouldn't have dated him; but, if he had been like this in their freshman year, she would have at least not insulted him for trying.

"I need a favor." She shook a little, realizing it was really happening.

"Sure, whatcha want?" he asked curiously.

She knew he would do it even if she didn't answer, and she didn't. "Come over to Ruby's hospital room and I'll tell you."

Ten minutes later he opened the door slowly and looked inside to be sure he wasn't walking in on anything private. "Thank you for coming."

"Yeah, so you said you were going to tell me? Gotta admit I'm curious now," he said with a smile. "You don't ask for help unless it's major and you have no choice."

She looked at Ruby one more time. She knew Jaune would recognize the look. It was the same that Pyrrha gave him often. "I see," he said with understanding. "So, what do you need? Books, music, pizza?"

Rather than answering right away Weiss reached up and worked on the buckles to her cloak's shoulder. "Hey, I'm flattered, but I really don't want Pyrrha or Ruby to kill me, ya know?" His confidence was definitely higher than his freshman year. He wouldn't have made that joke back then, or if he did it would have been with that nervous, scared, and bumbling voice that totally ruined it.

"Shush." Getting the last buckle unhooked she took her cloak off and handed it to Jaune. "Take it to this address. Tell them it's for me. They'll know what to do with it."

Jaune looked at the address. "This is to a high-end tailor. I've used him myself a couple times. Does it not fit right?" Yes, she had decided a week ago and gone so far as to give the design to a tailor. She'd chickened out at the last minute though.

"No, this is for a surprise. Find out how long it will take when you deliver it."

"Okay," he said with a nod, accepting the partial answer as if she'd given every detail. _How had I ever second-guessed how much everyone in JNPR liked me?_ Weiss asked herself. _They love me like family. I'll never be alone again._

The amount of time until it was done was four days. During that time Weiss stayed in the room, suffering through hospital food and Stiff necks, (They couldn't get a second bed in. There was just not enough room.) and rarely not talking to Ruby, often with that annoyed tone that Ruby no long took seriously. If not talking she sang to her, which seemed to comfort her when the pain was particularly bad. By the time the cloak was finished and retrieved by Jaune, Ruby had healed nearly completely. The pain was a thing of the past as were the bandages. The IV's had been pulled. Tonight was just for observation. Tomorrow she would be released.

The doctor had warned of possible scaring with his original prognosis, and it was there, if subtle. It took a lot to make a huntress scar. On her face it was along the jaw line. It was light enough that with a bit of concealer no one would notice it. Her hands had the worst of it; showing splotches where the boils had been, and odd colorations of dark skin on top of what was normally pale. To Weiss it meant nothing at all. She was well, that was what mattered.

The timing couldn't have been better when the cloak arrived. "Special delivery!" Jaune said excitedly.

As opposed to Ozpin, Weiss had heard him coming and stopped her singing in time. In the field he could move as quietly as a leopard stalking it's pray, but in a hallway he might as well have been jumping forward instead of walking. Weiss rewarded him with one of her rare smiles. One he would have given his right hand for when he was attempting, badly, to court her. How things change. "Thank you Jaune." Then she indicated with her eyes to leave, which he did with a smile almost before she had. _Did he look?_ She wondered. _He seemed way too amused when he left. I'll wring his neck if he did!_

"What's that?" Ruby asked curiously.

Weiss turned so her back was to Ruby and opened the box. It had to be perfect. This was too important to be off even the smallest bit. She could feel Ruby's gaze and heard the bed shifting as she tried looking around Weiss to see what she had. "Is that your cloak? I wondered where it was. Did you need to get it cleaned or something?"

"It's my cloak," she confirmed. _It's perfect,_ She decided. "It needed an alteration."

Confusion was now clearly in her voice. "Really? I thought it had fit okay. What was off?"

"It didn't have my emblem on it."

Ruby's confusion was even larger now. "I thought you said you didn't have an emblem cause it was tied to your dad's company?"

Weiss nodded, turning and with a smooth motion put her cloak on at the same time; preventing Ruby from getting a clear view. "I made a new one." In later days she would say she hid the emblem to keep the surprise until the last minute, but the real reason was she was afraid that Ruby wouldn't approve.

"Well, are you going to show me already?" Ruby asked impatiently and with obvious excitement and curiosity. She'd gone so far as to get into a sitting position with her feet dangling over the side. She couldn't put it off any longer.

Weiss nodded, and slowly turned around so her back was to Ruby, scared to death. The silence scared her even more. She was terrified actually. Five seconds was doubled to ten. At fifteen she started to tremble until she felt it; a finger on her back slowly tracing the outline. "Are you sure? This is forever," and now Weiss heard the nerves in Ruby's voice.

"Forever," Weiss agreed.

The finger had covered the exterior, going over each point of what had been her snowflake. Now it moved towards the center to what was an exact duplicate of Ruby's emblem. Both were in a uniform ice blue. The color choice was irrelevant for emblems in an official sense. When displayed it could be any color they wished, so long as it was only one color. When it was tattooed onto her it would be in black, the same as everyone else. It would be forever from then on, and Weiss was sure Ruby knew what hers meant. It was clear in her voice and in the shaking of her finger on her back. "Are you sure?" she asked again, but this time it wasn't for the emblem. They both knew it.

"I am." She reflexively tried to hide the emotion in her voice. It was a useless attempt.

Ruby's arms circled around her and pulled her close. In her ear came a whisper. "I'll never let you fall," and the memories flooded back of that fateful night in the garden. "Yes."

* * *

 _Author's Note: Pic of Weiss's new emblem can be found at my deviant art account (username jason22274). It's identical to the icon I have on the story except it is blue throughout._


	17. And we will Fly

**And We Will Fly  
**

Blake grabbed her scroll before Yang had even left, and had sent her mail to all of her lieutenants a minute later. If Weiss was right it had wider ramifications than just what had happened to her teammates. A group of White Fang that violent and that powerful could end Phoenix before it had really started as the fear of faunus was rekindled.

Next she called Velvet. "Are you able to come with me to town tonight?" It was time. Time for everything.

"Uh, sure. You don't want me to stay up here to act as backup?" She'd completely skipped the question on if Blake was up to going. The only thing holding her back was the doctors and Ozpin. Her determination would force her to keep moving forward.

She knew that Velvet couldn't hear her, but she shook her head anyways. "No. Tonight is special. Trust me, I need you there. I'll explain on the ride down."

"When should I be there?"

Blake quickly calculated travel times, and then gave a half hour cushion. That was an excessive amount but better early than late, especially tonight. "Six should get us there on time and for me to explain what's going on to you." This wasn't going to be fair to Velvet, but it was necessary.

She waited impatiently to be released. The doc did one last unnecessary ex-ray then put her arm in a sling that pulled it close to her body immobilizing that entire side. She knew she'd be taking it off as soon as she was out of his sight, but better to just wait it out than argue. At 4:30 she was given license to go so long as she took it easy. She'd at least try to follow doctor's orders, but she doubted it.

Her first stop upon escape was her room where she unbuckled the sling and threw it in a random direction. She'd been brought to the clinic in her normal clothes. Naturally that's what she left in. Those clothes were not going to work for tonight.

Her arm was still stiff and sore which made getting undressed and redressed difficult, but she worked through it. The most interesting part of this routine was her hair. After four days stuck in a bed it was already a tangled mess, then she had to style it afterwards. Her shoulder refused to stay up for a prolonged time and it was definitely a two handed job. It was times like this she appreciated how easy it was to put on her silk shirt and that she had a clip-on instead of a noose. Reaching behind to tuck in the shirt was a new experience in pain but she'd worked through worse any number of times. The easiest part was her boots. It had an inside zipper that made it quick and easy.

She headed to the bus and was glad she had added a half hour. The delays getting ready had eaten that time up easily. Her arm was bothering her enough that she did contemplate the sling again, but decided against it. It wasn't that she thought Phoenix would turn against her if they saw weakness. It was because it might demoralize them and tonight she was going to rally them for a mission for the first time. Doubt in anyone is something they could not afford.

Velvet was waiting for her in the bullhead. "I'll save telling you how good you look, and I used to bunk with Coco so I've seen good." Blake suddenly realized this was the first time Velvet had seen her in her new outfit. For a second she was pleased with the complement. It was a high one indeed. But that single second passed and Velvet moved on as well. "Tell me what's going on. We have plenty of time for you to at least give me a brief outline of what's happening.

"Let's get in the bullhead and get going. No sense wasting time when I can tell you everything while getting there." With a nod and a shrug Velvet headed in with Blake not far behind. Once they were off the ground she would start.

This is when the unfairness of Blake's decision would become evident. "Two things; First I'm going to name a second in command to handle things when I'm not able, or to become the head should I die. I won't let the Phoenix fall the same way White Fang did when its head was cut off."

"I can see that and I agree," Velvet said in full support. "Who do you have in mind?"

Time to pull the trigger. "You."

Poleaxed was the best word for the expression that hit Velvet. This wasn't fair. Blake had purposely waited till she was trapped, unable to leave, or temporize with a 'let me think about it.' She had time to think about it and they both knew the decision already. Velvet was a great woman, a strong fighter, and on level with Weiss when it came to intelligence.

More important than that, she was from outside the original White Fang so no jealousies could crop up among the wings or talk of favoritism. And there would have been favoritism. She couldn't help it; Thompson had a natural magnetism that not only made him a good leader, but a desirable man. She could temporize that it was a good choice, and it was, but no one would believe that was the reason, including herself.

It took Velvet a good minute to come to terms with what Blake had asked. She had run through the same variables that Blake had before she had decided who she wanted. Velvet would come to the same conclusion. The first sign of life was a rapid blinking of her eyes, followed by fear. That was only to be expected. Fearless on the battlefield was easy. You lived or you died, and death was nearly inevitable for a Huntress. It was rare to live long enough to retire or become a professor. If you couldn't come to terms with that you washed out in the academy quickly. Halfway through the third semester is the longest you would make it before you either accept, reject, or die.

But this wasn't battle. This was something entirely new. Something she wasn't trained for. Fear of the unknown was the most basic fear there was. "I'm not ready."

On to her finding reasons she couldn't do it. Reasons that Blake already had the answers to, and reasons even Velvet didn't believe. "No one is when they start. You will learn. I'm still learning myself."

"But shouldn't it be someone they know? I'm a stranger," she said, looking for anything.

Blake shook her head. The flight was half over. Velvet could make excuses to last the other half if Blake let her. "You know the answer to that. We both do. We both know why those reasons are not good enough to outweigh the reasons why you are the natural choice. I can't force it on you, but I know that outside the fear you want this. You are as passionate for the cause as I am. In many ways you are more qualified to lead than me."

The expressions on her face was amazing as she worked through every reason not to in her head, then finding why it wasn't good enough, or worse why it wasn't valid at all. She could feel the bullhead coming in for landing when Velvet finally came to the only answer she could have. "Okay."

It hadn't been fair, but it had been expedient. By giving her no way to leave the conversation she had to continue it. The longer it went the more excuses she had would disappear until the only thing left was her answer. Velvet was no fool, she knew what Blake did. "I will get you back for this," Velvet said. Blake smiled her understanding.

Having accepted her fate Velvet quickly switched subjects."So what's the second thing?"

"What you expected to hear; the battle plan for tonight," she answered knowing full well that revenge would be coming but not when. "Hopefully that will just be an expression because it could go many ways."

She started outlining things before they got to the theater as she worked on her game face. She had an hour before it would start. It was enough time to tell Velvet every aspect of Blake's decisions and got insight from her on repercussions both favorable and negative, and how to minimize the negative.

After that was done she gave Velvet little pieces of advice on how to command she had worked out, the most important being to always look confident. Her Second took the advice seriously and by the time the heads started to arrive only Blake, who had watched her get her expression under control, would know the fear under the surface.

This was going to be a long night. She hoped everyone was ready for it. She had arrived twenty minutes early. In the last ten minutes her lieutenants started to show up behind the stage to see what they needed to prepare for. The last time they had been here she'd given them no warnings, just what she needed. This time she told them exactly what she had planned. They nodded their understanding, some looking happy, some confident, others nervous, and then there were the ones stone faced giving no clue as to their emotions at all. They were not bulking though, and that was the important part.

She looked at Velvet. "Are you ready?"

"If I say no could we just do this tomorrow?" she said with a smile. She was ready.

Blake smiled back at her friend. "No. Let's get this started."

Together they walked out, Velvet automatically walking behind and to the right of Blake. It spoke of her importance but did not undercut Blake's authority. Then they were there and all eyes were upon them. Velvet wasn't the only one who wanted to run at that second, but that was why she had been working on her game face for the last hour. Not a single doubt showed on her.

"I am going to get straight to the point," she told the assembly. "This will affect all of you and I know it will be met with anger by most of you, but it is necessary, just as the birth of Phoenix had been." She hoped that reminder of change that had gone well would get them to think and wait for the full explanation rather than working themselves up.

"I know that to a man you are all loyal to the cause. I also know that there has been infighting among the groups that have come together. This cannot continue. We will have enough opposition by the rest of the world; we do not need to help them." Some grumbling came from the crowd before her. It was not exactly disagreement. It was more like they were trying to put the blame on others. "I am not concerned with who is causing these problems. I am concerned with fixing them."

A hush went over the crowd. They knew her style from past talks. They knew she was going to drop a bomb in the middle of them with the next sentence. They were right. "Today all of the individual cells will be dissolved and six larger ones known as wings will replace it." Besides the problem she had already outlined it was causing trouble with communication with that many heads at the same level. It also would make the Phoenix fall apart again if both Velvet and herself were killed at the same time which was a good possibility. She skipped by them though. There was no reason to explain when the first one had undeniably proven her point. There was no need to bog down what was already going to be a long process.

As expected, there were voices of anger but not as many as she had thought. They were learning to trust her decisions. This was encouraging. One clear voice rose among the grumbling, "How?"

Last time she had waited for the dissenters to tire themselves out, and then continued. She felt this was no longer necessary. She simply raised a hand to indicate silence was needed, and without a word they all listened. This much power could become heady Blake realized. "That is a good question. Your individual leaders have paper for you to vote for who you would wish to lead you. This person cannot be the person under which you follow now."

A reorganization of this scale did not come easily, rarely quickly, and most certainly not smoothly. At last count there were twenty eight cells ranging from six to fifteen members each. The total number in this room was 238. If they divided into five, which she intended to be the case, that meant forty-seven member teams with three extra. It was past time to do it before they grew any further.

Her plan had multiple stages and she hoped it was as simple as possible. K.I.S.S. was in play here. There were a few hiccups possible. She would cross those bridges when she came to them. Everyone had seemed to understand so far, so she moved to the next stage. "Your leader will count your votes and the one with the highest number of votes will count as your team's vote. Those votes in turn will be added together and the top five will be leader of the five wings." She paused, letting them absorb that information.

Each leader had been forewarned of this, so they did not break the silence, waiting for the obvious question to come from one of the crowd who didn't. It came after about ten seconds though Blake knew all of them were thinking it. "You mentioned six wings?"

She wanted to encourage open communication, and that had been the start. Over time they will come to realize that while Blake was in charge they all had a voice in these meetings. "The sixth wing will be the leadership wing with me as head and my second in command working under me. The rest of the wing will consist of the leaders of the other wings and their chosen second. This is to give a clear order of command and a method to choose a new leader should both me and my second fall."

"Any other questions?" Grumbling met her query, but none spoke up. "Then choose, and choose carefully."

Blake stepped back, pleased with herself and how well this was going. With this everyone was democratically chosen. No one can claim she had given favoritism to any of the five heads. Of course this was the easy part. Organizing the individuals was going to be the difficult part, and getting them to work together would be a headache of an uncharted scale. It was one of the hiccups she feared.

Each leader collected the votes, and silently brought them to her to count. "Does everyone trust me to be honest with the final counting?" Everyone she could see nodded and none voiced any objection. Good, she had not lost their trust with this change. She went through each piece of paper and counted the names. She had thought the votes would be fairly even, but she was wrong. Of the twenty eight leaders, four stood out. The last only had two votes which was enough. "The votes have been counted. The five heads will be Isaac, Daniel, Thompson, Simon, and Alice," she announced.

It took her members some time for them to calm down and get used to the new dynamic. During that time she contemplated each of her heads. Each wing was going to have a specific purpose, much like the leadership wing. Those purposes were going to give the rest direction.

There was a lot of talking among the crowd, and a few laughing. It wasn't good natured, and Blake knew why. Isaac had been the one with the fewest votes. Most thought of him as a coward and weak. He was neither. If anything he was the strongest among them. Pacifists were often misunderstood in this regard. Blake herself had had a low opinion of him until she learned of his ideals. She knew exactly which wing to give him.

Thompson likewise was easy to choose a wing. He was brash, quick to anger, but a great leader. He had a strong military style of command, and a certain charisma that was undeniable. Simon was the last she knew exactly where to put. His oratory skills made him uniquely suited for it. The other two she did not know well enough to decide. She'd read reports on them but the number of leaders made them all bleed together.

She called up the new heads, making a mental note to come up with a name other than heads, and had them sit behind her. The rest were all talking about who they wanted to be under. They seemed to be getting more excited about the possibilities, much like had happened when Phoenix was born.

Blake nodded to Velvet and headed towards the back to join the rest of her newly formed wings while Velvet headed to take her place. Blake had outlined this if it all went right, which amazingly it had, to Velvet. She was going to describe the five wings purpose and tell them to arrange themselves in the wing they felt they were the most capable with Velvet directing traffic. They were not going to be told who would be in charge of each wing. It was the purpose of the wing that should be the deciding factor for them, not who was leading. Of course one head, at least, was going to be obvious to everyone in the room and that was unfortunate. With any luck they would be evenly distributed. If not the Leadership wing would discuss options because she didn't have any.

Joining the others she looked at each. "Thompson, Isaac, and Simon I know pretty well at this point," she started as all six of them formed a circle to talk. "Daniel and Alice, I haven't had the opportunity to meet with you until today. As you can hear behind me each wing will have a purpose and I know where I would put you three," she indicated Thompson, Isaac, and Simon. "But as unknowns I'm not sure about you two. Let me describe what each wing does, and what you would be expected to do. I'll start with the wings I know who I would put there."

"First wing is PR. It's something we were missing when we were doing protests as the White Fang. We were easily written off as radicals, nuisances or just outright stupid. This wing's primary job is to prevent that. There is also some information I want to be circulated so those who are apathetic or on the fence to our cause will see us more favorably." She looked directly at Simon. "I think that is something you are uniquely qualified for."

Simon smiled as professionally as the best newscaster. "It is as if I was trained for the job. I think I can be more than effective. Thank you."

"Second wing is demonstrations and rallies. It will not be done as it has in the past. As I said before we were never taken seriously. We cannot allow that to happen again." This time she looked at Isaac. "As a pacifist you not only are qualified to make sure our demonstrations are peaceful, but you also have experience on how to be effective against harsh resistance. I also respect your ingenuity to come up with unique ways to get our message across."

A worried look crossed Simon's face. "It isn't that I don't think I can do it. I'm worried that those under me won't respect me enough to follow my lead."

"That's valid," Blake agreed. "It's also one reason that they don't know who will head which department. Those who choose your wing will also have peaceful natures. Probably not as peaceful as you, but enough to relate."

He shrugged apathetically. "Then I wouldn't mind the chance to try." He lacked confidence, and Blake didn't blame him. She also had faith in him to rise to the challenge and success breeds confidence. She was going to keep an eye on him though.

"The last wing I've decided on is defense," she said, taking a deep breath. "We are _not_ an army. We will not go after anyone, ever, regardless of their crimes against us. We don't need to make Simon's job any harder than it already is. What this wing will be doing is helping faunus who are being shaken down; especially businesses. There are too many humans who are doing the protection racket and seek out faunus run businesses first. It's causing those businesses to fail. They have also gone after faunus friendly businesses with the same effect." She looked at Thompson, who was already grinning like a madman. "By process of elimination you already know I want you for this job, but not because of your aggression. I want you there because of the military precision that you have shown with your men. This job will get heated and I'll need that control to make sure that everyone stays cool headed."

He was chuckling. "What about me? You've already seen my temper."

At least he was honest. "I have, and I saw you bring it back under control. I think you will do well. Don't prove me wrong."

She turned and looked at the remaining two. "That leaves you two, and two wings. Let me describe both and I want your thoughts on which you want. That includes the ones already assigned if you think you can do a better job."

"Heh. I wouldn't want any of those jobs. It would be a nightmare," Alice said. "Good luck you three."

"I agree, but the last two are just as difficult, just in different ways," Blake said with a smile. She liked Alice's spunk already. "First will be finances. By that I do not mean taking care of our money. I have a friend who says she thinks we could put financial pressure against the businesses that are unwilling to serve us or are using us in jobs that are at best dangerous. Often time they are deadly and the worst offender has a sixty-eight percent fatality rate for some of their positions." She really wished that last statistic wasn't true. The problem was the operations that did it were doing it outside of the jurisdiction of any of the four kingdoms. The areas where grimm were the thickest. The places where dust crystals were the most numerous and purest.

Blake didn't think Weiss ever knew how despicable her father was; only knowing what was visible above the water. It put the violence by the White Fang towards her family into a whole new light.

"The other is what I like to think of as the dirty tricks department. You are the ones that will go unseen, gathering information or making life difficult for those who are treating us as slave labor. You'll have to remain unseen at all times and at all costs. This is the 'We'll disavow your existence' type of job, so take this seriously. I never want to have to do that."

Alice was actually laughing by the end of her description. "What's so funny?" Blake asked.

"Well, I was honestly going to hide it cause I didn't want to be judged, but yeah, I'll take the dirty tricks wing. I'm a master thief. Haven't ever been caught and I know the ins and outs of most of Vale. What are the odds?" and again the deep laugh. "If I die at least this way it'll be for a cause not a wallet."

Turning to Daniel she asked, "that leaves finances, or do you want to make an argument for one of the other positions?"

He looked more timid than Isaac at that moment. "I don't think I'm qualified for any of the wings you described." He was starting to fidget. "I'm just a run of the mill house cleaner." Of the five he was going to be the one that needed the most help Blake decided. Luckily she knew just the person to give it. It was interesting that he had been voted to the top five, and strongly. Blake decided he had more qualities than he knew about and others had picked up on.

"Well, you got two choices, and you're free to do either," Blake said as gently as she could. "You can step aside and let the next in line step in. If you can tough it out I can get the person who recommended this department to come and act as an advisor until you are comfortable. She's very good and competent. I trust her above myself in this field."

Right before her eyes she saw the transformation; from scared and undecided to calm and ready. He was still unsure, but he was resolute. He would give this position his all and that quality is what others had seen. "If you can provide that help then I accept."

"A couple of things then and you can all meet your people. To save time and obfuscate each wing's purpose I'm assigning each a color. Defense is red, Demonstrations is brown, PR will be yellow, Finance is green, Dirty Tricks is black, and Leadership is White. I tried to make each color have some connection to the wing's purpose. I wasn't always successfully."

She moved on to the next point quickly. "Each wing is going to be organized however you think is best. I will intrude minimally unless the job isn't getting done, or done right. The only thing I ask is for you to have a second in command. I want structure and fall-backs should the chain of command ever get targeted," she told them with no room for disagreement. "Lets go see your people."

All six of them approached the front, Velvet still standing and trying to keep the groupings calm. "How is it going?"

"It's a mess, but we're there," she said with a small amount of stress showing. "I'm not you, so it took a bit of convincing."

"It will get better once they know you. You still managed to be effective. That's all I need."

She looked out at the seats to see how they had organized. The groups were not even, as she had dreaded.

"Okay. It is more uneven than I had feared," She pointed to the smallest group. "That group is Finance."

Moving her finger she indicated the next smallest. "That is PR."

She continued pointing them out from smallest to biggest; Demonstrations, Dirty Tricks, and, unsurprisingly, Defense.

"My question is do you have enough men for your needs," Blake asked steadily. They were in charge; it was for them to decide what they needed. Delegating responsibility was a wonderful thing. Suddenly she felt lighter.

"That's more than I need," Simon said. "PR Isn't about numbers, it's about talking to the right people."

"Same for me," Thompson said, which surprised Blake. "Too large a force and we'll be viewed as an army. We should keep it small and help only the major trouble spots." He paused and looked at Simon. "Would it help you if one of my guys tapes what we're doing?"

Simon nodded. "Definitely."

Moving on she looked at Isaac. "And what about you?"

He shrugged showing that he wasn't happy with the numbers. "We can never have too many people but I can work with what I got here."

"Alice?"

"That's tricky. It depends on the skill level and how well they take to training. What we're doing is subtle work." She looked them over one more time. "How about I find out what I'm working with and those who wash out can be sent over to either Isaac or Daniel depending on who needs them." Smiles all around, happy with the idea.

"I'll do the same," Thompson added, "for much the same reason. Though we don't really need the subtlety we do need more than brute strength if we don't want to destroy what we're trying to protect. I also don't want hot heads and I'll weed them out quickly."

"Okay, that's settled then, unless someone has something I missed?" Blake asked. All indicated they were okay with things. "Then I have your first assignment Alice and Thompson. I know none of you have your teams in order yet so I am sorry to throw this at you so soon, but this is important. Everyone listen in. I want all wings to know what the other is doing so you don't get in each others ways, or possibly help if you think of something." They all nodded.

Unlike last time when both of her lives, the huntress and the Phoenix leader, had been in conflict they were in perfect harmony tonight. "There is a portion of White Fang out there that we haven't accounted for yet. This group was strong enough to take down two Huntresses." It was an overstatement, but not by much. It was more than cautionary advice. It was a sledgehammer hint that this group was not to be taken lightly. "We have to find them. If word of them gets out our cause will be all the harder to get through as fear of us once again takes hold." She looked at Alice. "This would normally fall under just your department Alice, but since you haven't settled and shaken free the ones who shouldn't be there I'm adding some muscle. Does that sound okay to both of you?"

"Do you have anything more to go on besides 'bad-ass as hell?'" Thompson asked.

Unfortunately she didn't. "The attack used a lot of dust, powerful dust, and they seemed to be making it move on its own somehow. Not sure how helpful that is. It's all I got though. I know it is not much."

Thompson gave it some thought. "How about we take the obvious routes, and your wing does the sneak thing? That way we won't get in each other's hair." Alice nodded her agreement.

"When you find them do not engage. Remember we are not an army." She didn't think she could stress that point enough. "Let me or Velvet know so we can bring in some heavy guns."

That caught everyone's attention. "Heavy guns? That sounds like more than just the cops," Isaac asked.

Blake gave a toothy smile. "No, it won't be the cops. This group has gone after Huntsmen and Huntresses. We are family as much as you are family. We will bring them down."

With everyone seeming to be in agreement she threw in one last wrinkle. "Simon, we aren't going to be able to stay hidden for much longer. If this goes badly it could be as soon as tomorrow. Start getting ready for it. If possible I want us to come first before we're discovered."

"I'll see what I can do," he replied. "I agree with us coming out before they find us. It will reduce their suspicion and give a better first impression."

The last meeting with all of them together had resulted in her assigning Phoenix a higher priority than her best friends. It had torn at her. Now she would be able to use Phoenix to find the ones who had caused that situation, and she could do that knowing that it was something that was needed for both of her families.

"Any further questions before I go?" She got five 'no's' of various types. "Do what you need to for your wing and let me know if you need any help," Blake told them in parting. "Tonight was a major shakeup for Phoenix. They're going to need help adjusting and above all your wings will need structure. Don't make the mistake I did and go without it for too long."

Velvet noticed her leaving and fell into step behind her. "You've changed," she said over Blake's shoulder.

"How so?"

There was a pause. "I don't know how to put it. It's not charisma. It's a kind of confidence I think. You don't act like you're trying to be a leader. You _are_ The Leader. Just look at me. I wasn't told to fall into step like this, it just felt right. Only other person I would follow faster is Coco." Another long pause. "I may be more qualified on paper, but I lack that and without it people won't respect my authority the way they automatically do yours."

Blake was both flattered and disturbed. The reason she was flattered was obvious. She had no doubt that Velvet had meant every word. She was disturbed because she wasn't sure what she was changing into.

 _Change is always scary,_ She rationalized. _I will still be me when it's done._


	18. Darkness and Light

**Darkness and Light**

"Tell me again why we're out here?" Neptune asked impatiently, again.

Sun looked over at him, obviously getting annoyed. "Dude, chill."

"I'm chill. This cold air has made sure of that."

Yang was starting to get tired of the whining herself. "Stuff it, or I'll stuff it for you," she growled.

Sun snickered. "Remember what I said about her bad side?"

Neptune was suddenly much quieter.

Yang returned her attention to the Club. The stakeout had been going on since they had left it. The only thing she was missing was classes and watching after Ruby. She told Ozpin directly she wasn't going to be in classes for the rest of the week, maybe longer. He could suspend her, even expel her. This was more important. She didn't know his answer; she hadn't given him time to. She knew Glynda was going to be pissed when she missed her classes. Assuming she wasn't expelled she wasn't going to enjoy her wrath. As for Ruby, she trusted Weiss to be there for her.

They took the stakeout in shifts with the other two occupying the room below to get cleaned up, rested, and fed. She'd given both Sun and Neptune a chance to back out when she decided her course of action. This wasn't their fight, it was hers. Both laughed at the offer. They weren't here for her; they were here for Ruby which eased some of the guilt of them being there. All there was for her was the mission. Junior was their best chance.

Junior was scared for his life when she had visited Wednesday. The pure number of goons proved that. The fact they were only there to slow this mystery man down proved how strong Junior thought this guy was. He overestimated the competence of his men, but that wasn't unusual.

Rewind to the last time she had been here. She hadn't been lying, there were more goons than normal. Just the bouncers at the door proved the difference. Normally there was only one waiting on the outside to check ID's. When she'd visited the last time there had been two, and when she went in Wednesday there had been six; four of them packing and all of them with better swords than their usual red bladed pieces of shit. The interior security had been upped as well.

So the question is who had him scared? It wasn't the usual gangs. Junior had always been able to play neutral and it was accepted. You went there you didn't fight, you drank, danced, and partied. It's why there were so many goons on a normal night, to enforce that peace. Besides some drunks who got kicked out regularly, all the gangs had come to respect that neutrality.

It was also why he was such an effective info broker. When you get drunk you talk, and who's the best person to talk too? The ever trusted bartender who brought you your next round. That information was something that Yang had taken advantage of multiple times now.

So if not the gangs, who? Not the police or any other official authorities. Like her they weren't killers. When she had asked for information this time he'd nearly wet himself (actually he _had_ wet himself) fearing what she was about to do to him, yet didn't let a single piece of information slip. She didn't have an answer only a hunch, which was reason enough to watch him. It might be the White Fang, or it could just be some guy with a grudge. She was willing to bet it was the Fang though.

They were looking for any unusual activity. Either this big-bad was going to show up, or Junior was going to make a break for it. He had his own place, yet he hadn't left the Club in three days. He must have felt the safest there.

After four days they finally got some results. Sun elbowed her in the ribs lightly and she came out of her reverie. Looking down she saw Junior leaving along with three of his men in his car. When he got on the street two more cars joined them: one in front, one in back.

"I see what you mean about overkill," Sun commented.

Yang showed her agreement with a smile that clearly said 'And you doubted me how?' "Let's go."

* * *

The owner of the calm voice smiled. "It's time."

* * *

Yang, Neptune, and Sun ran from rooftop to rooftop at a speed only possible through a concentrated use of Aura. Their eyes remained on the car below them. Junior wasn't taking it slow either. Even with the speed boost they were having trouble keeping up. Ruby would have found this chase easy of course. There were times when Yang could be extremely jealous of her sister. This was definitely one of them.

The pace prevented talking between them, but they all knew what to do. Keep up with Junior and don't stop for anyone if they fell. They'd catch up later. There was never a contingency for them all falling at the same time.

They'd never expected a trap. There was no way someone could guess where Junior was going, and he was taking a circular route to wherever it was.

That made the trip line extremely effective. The placement made it even worse. It was about one step before they would jump up where that building went from three to four stories.

It would have been the perfect trap. First the trip line forced all three to land hard onto the roof. Then their forward momentum sent them into the wall in front of them.

For two of them it had been, but Yang was designed for such abuse. Landing that hard, and then the forward momentum making her run into the wall, was enough to activate her semblance. It absorbed the blow and added its force to her own already exceptional strength.

Sun didn't fare so well. His fighting style was highly acrobatic in nature. That made it possible to roll with the impact with the roof a reflex action; minimizing that damage. The wall in front of them, on the other hand, he didn't have an answer for. He put as much of his Aura to protect himself as he could. It was enough to save him from severe wounds, but between the impact and the massive amount of aura he had just used he was unconscious.

Neptune fared the worse. He fell face first on the roof, and then skipped across it like a stone on a pond. He was only half conscious when he hit the wall. His body looked broken like a plastic Huntsman figure that had been stepped on.

Yang wasn't sure what to do first. Kill whoever attacked them, take care of Sun, or see if Neptune was still alive. If it was a coordinated attack then the next blow would come soon. She looked around frantically for their attacker.

"Your strength means nothing."

She looked everywhere, but the source of the voice was nowhere. She growled in feral rage. Then the floor got taken out from under her, literally. It had been planned, all of it. She felt a familiar hand in the attack; the same that had been used on her sister and Weiss. She landed on her feet. Anyone trained in landing strategies wouldn't find a three-story fall even remotely challenging.

She looked around, but saw almost nothing. It was darkness everywhere, only lit by the glow of her hair. She looked up in time to see the hole in the roof being covered. They thought they could win by blinding her? She smiled. Maybe they weren't as ready as she had assumed. Thanks to the energy she'd gotten from her semblance her hair was glowing. She looked again for the source of the voice and she quickly realized that it wasn't just that it was dark. Every inch of this place was painted black. In the dim light of her hair finding the motion she sensed around her was difficult.

"Don't you have some friends to help?"

Shit. The building had no interior walls or stairs. It was as hallow as a hanger. Without a second thought she jumped towards the hole she'd fallen through. She couldn't have gotten more than six feet before she felt the impact in her ribs. It threw her sideways, away from her target, and into the roof five feet away. She bounced off of that point uselessly. The strength of the impact hadn't even been enough to add to her strength, nor the fall back down.

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid_ , she yelled at herself. _I'm letting him taunt me into doing exactly what he wants me to do!_

"Oh, too bad. It looks like you're too late." The hole opened briefly and she saw a body drop, blue hair obvious from the thin moon light. She ran to catch him instinctively and saw it this time; an arm heading towards her. She ducked the clothes line, and then heard the sickening crunch of Neptune's body hitting the ground.

"All your skills and strength and you can't even protect one person."

She knew the game now. The arm had been black, which made it perfectly camouflaged. Her hair made her like a candle in the darkness. He had the ultimate advantage.

"Cute trick," she taunted back, ready to remove that advantage. She was angry and she allowed that anger to burn, literally. Her fires only lasted for seconds, but it was long enough to find her attacker.

And long enough to light the dust directly below her. The explosion sent her upwards five feet, and back down in a heap. She knew it was already too late. He would have moved by now.

She desperately wanted to check on Neptune, but she resisted. This guy was using her temper and her emotions against her. She stopped everything and listened very carefully, forcing herself to a state of calm, or at least attempting too.

"And now you understand, you have no power at all."

Using his voice she could finally get a bead on him almost directly above her. Firing before he had a chance to move; she saw the round light up the room and miss him by inches, but that wasn't what caught her attention. The roof behind him exploded from her attack, and another body fell to the ground.

He didn't even taunt her this time, he just chuckled in amusement. That was even worse than the taunts, making it harder to keep her temper reined in.

She concentrated on the sound again. It was behind her and eight feet up. Before he could have a chance to move again her hips started to twist; amplifying the speed of her turn of her shoulders; which had started to move a split second earlier. The combination made the speed of firing Ember Celica nearly superhuman. It hit a spot she couldn't even see, but she was secure that even if she missed she wouldn't hit her friends again.

That speed didn't matter. As she aimed up the attack came from below. The last thing she saw was the knife. The wetness on her cheeks was not only tears.

"It is poetic to end your illusions as you lose your sight."

The pain was beyond anything she remembered. She wanted to fall to her knees screaming. That wasn't an option though. She worked through it; swinging repeatedly in the sightless dark at the voice in anger, frustration, and defeat. He kept taunting her the entire time, and laughing. The harder she tried to the clearer it was that she was at his mercy. Worse than the feeling of helplessness was the thought that Sun and Mercury might be dead. Sun by her own hands.

"We will meet again." Then there was silence no matter how hard she listened.

Falling to the ground on her knees she searched desperately for both of them. She couldn't find them. She found debris everywhere, some of it cutting into her knees and stabbing her hands. She didn't stop. She knew they were in there with her, somewhere. In a final desperate move she fired upwards hoping someone, anyone, would find them as she screamed out her anger.

* * *

He sat above watching her move around helplessly. That had gone better than he had expected. It was delicious. He knew she would regain her sight, eventually. The damage was mostly superficial. That hadn't been the point.

One down, three to go.

* * *

Yang jumped awake. She looked around quickly to be sure it had been a dream.

All that came back was darkness.

"No, no, no, no," she kept repeating trying to get up and felt hands pushing her back down

"Yang! Yang, calm down, I'm here," came her sister's voice. She fell back into the bed. She felt groggy. Then she remembered being put under as they brought her back to Beacon.

"Sun... Neptune?" she asked listlessly. Neptune had to have been dead, and she'd shot Sun herself.

"They're in bad shape. Very bad. Neptune's in a coma, but Sun is conscious. We know what happened until the trip line. After that he couldn't tell us much."

They were alive. 'And now you understand. You have no power at all.' He had the power. If he wanted he could have killed all three of them. Instead he had humiliated her. It made her angry; beyond angry. She wanted to rage and destroy the voice's owner. Right now she'd have trouble just finding her way out of this room.

"My eyes?" she asked, feeling her face and finding bandages over them. The bandages felt bulged outward oddly, and she couldn't feel any of the gauze against her eyes, just around them.

"They should heal pretty quickly," Ruby said encouragingly. "Doc said the damage is superficial. You are either very lucky, or whoever did it knew exactly what he was doing and wickedly good. If the strike had been either deeper or lighter it would have caused permanent damage or nothing at all."

"He played me," Yang said, her anger evident, but there was an undercurrent of something new to the brawler; fear. She was good at one thing, and that was kicking ass. Memories of a fight long ago against a pink haired brat were attached to the one time she had lost. It had been only slightly less of a total defeat than this one. She had vowed then and there that she wouldn't be pushed around so easily and had doubled up on her training. She became unstoppable, undefeatable, the perfect warrior. She proved it with her rematch the next year. As far as she knew Neo still had a limp.

Now she knew all the training hadn't been enough. She couldn't win a fight when someone else was writing the rules. "He treated me like a marionette, pulling my strings like an expert."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," came Ozpin's voice somewhere towards her feet and to the right. _How long had he been_ _there?_ she asked herself feeling a bit more vulnerable in that moment.

"Yes Headmaster?" Yang asked hoping none of that vulnerability showed. She had an image after all.

Yang heard a sipping sound, and knew that the headmaster had paused to drink his ever-present coffee. "Yang I need to know in detail what happened after the trip line. I know it will be difficult to relive, but it is important."

'Difficult' was an understatement, one of Ozpin's specialties, but Yang did exactly what was asked. The anger and frustration built with each word. Angry at the voice that had taunted her; defeated her. Angry at herself for allowing him to play her. During the telling she found out that the rest of her team was also in the room with her, all giving silent support. They kept her from going over the edge and she was thankful for their presence.

"Thank you Yang. That was everything I could have asked. I need to ask just a few more questions," the Headmaster said in that quiet voice that could be so calming, like now. "The most important is any detail you might have seen of your attacker."

Yang shook her head in frustration. "No. He used the darkness perfectly. Only thing I ever saw clearly was his arm, which was covered in black cloth. He planned the battlefield and used it against me flawlessly." She paused, realizing that wasn't entirely accurate. "No, I did see him briefly when I let my flames free and before the explosion they caused. He was completely clad in black, even his face which had a black grim mask. He was on the side of the wall, clinging to it like a gecko. He was big. I'd say six. Maybe a little bigger, but thin like a dancer. I can't remember anything else about him clearly."

"That is more than we had to work with than before," Ozpin said sounding pleased. Then he moved on to the next question. "Can you think of anything that was done that indicated dust was used?"

Yang replayed every instant of her fight, and replayed it again. "The wall... It should have been destroyed by our impact. I don't think it had so much as a scratch." She realized if the wall had given in to the impact Sun and Neptune wouldn't have been hurt as badly. She replayed the fight some more. "I know it was dust under me that exploded. Shouldn't that type of dust have been red?"

Weiss's voice, coming from behind where Ruby stood, answered. "Of course."

"Well this stuff had been black like the rest of the room."

Now Weiss started to sound indignant. "That's simply not possible."

"There's no other way I wouldn't have been able to see it," Yang said, some of her anger leaking into the conversation.

There was a pause. Yang had never felt more helpless. The lack of sound reinforced how little control she had over her environment. After a few seconds Ruby brought up the possible answer. "Maybe it wasn't there before. When me and Weiss were attacked she saw the dust moving."

"That is a distinct possibility Ruby," the Headmaster agreed. "I need to contemplate this. I think it goes without saying that this enemy is dangerous and should not be gone after on your own."

Silence fell for a second only broken by footsteps and the tapping of a cane, then the closing of a door.

"Whoever it is wants RWBY," her sister said flatly as soon as Ozpin was out of the room. Yang didn't think she'd ever heard that much anger in her voice since the day she could talk. "They went after me and Weiss: toyed with us and left. Now they've gone after Yang and done the same thing. Blake, you're next."

Yang wished she knew the expressions on her friends' faces. She needed to know what they were feeling. Blake's voice replied to Ruby. "I agree, however I have to return to town regularly. Phoenix needs my presence."

"And we need you alive!" Ruby yelled.

Yang stayed quiet. She wanted to chime in and help, but she was a mixed bag of scared and pissed. Whatever she contributed would be influenced by both.

That pause again that Yang was really coming to hate. "There are things bigger than us," Blake said into that silence. "The success of Phoenix is more important than anything else has in my life. Even RWBY. Even myself!"

More silence, uninterrupted this time for minutes. "We'll help you then," came a soft, unexpected voice. "I promised you that I would do all I could to end the prejudice against faunus. I may not be a Schnee, but I don't go back on my word."

"That proves you're better than a Schnee," Blake said quietly. Weiss didn't automatically deny that as she would have months ago.

Ruby's voice rose, excited and energetic yet oddly filled with anger. "Okay, everyone in favor of bringing about a world-changing organization in the face of insurmountable odds while being hunted by an unknown force intent on destroying us say 'aye.'" The speech was normal but the anger wasn't. Yang realized suddenly that the protective nature of big sister to little went both ways.

The two instant 'yes's' that followed was expected.

Yang stayed silent for several seconds, afraid. Then she let the anger fill her till there was no room for the fear. "Fuck yes!"

"I know you don't say aye just to mess with me!" Ruby complained.

Weiss sounded amused. "And yet it still works."

* * *

Ozpin stood just outside the door listening. He was unsurprised that RWBY wasn't going to just lie down after this. He still did not think they were ready for what was after them, but together they at least stood a chance.

RWBY was starting to get enough information together to figure out the nature of the threat by themselves. There were only a couple pieces they were missing. Ozpin seriously contemplated telling them, but went against it. He wanted to save Ruby and Yang that pain.

The enemy was being more brash than he had expected, or was it arrogance? From the skill that Yang had described, and the fact they had stayed undetected in a city as populated as Vale, indicated they had earned that arrogance.

* * *

 _Author's note: The condition of Yang's eyes is similar to a Corneal Abrasion which is caused by sand or something along those lines getting under the eyelid and scratching the surface of the eye. It does not result in blindness, just decreased vision, swelling, and sensitivity to light, and yes it does heal. I could not find what would happen with a more serious cut to the eye, so I may be wildly off. I claim artistic license, which is something I rarely do. :p_


	19. Competition

**Competition**

Ruby couldn't stop tracing Weiss's emblem with her finger, a dreamy smile on her face. Weiss thought it was the longest her girlfriend, no her fiancé, had ever been quiet since she had met her. Weiss had always envisioned the one getting proposed to. It would be in the most romantic setting, with the sun just touching the horizon. It would be perfect.

Instead she had been the one doing the proposing. The location was, of all places, a hospital room. The sun was up and the skies overcast with people bundling up in preparation of the rain coming in.

On her emotional high she couldn't have thought of a better way to have done it. She sat with her back towards Ruby, so that it was easier for her. She couldn't help thinking feeling Ruby's finger on her back was the most intimate thing she had felt in her life. Not sexually, but as if they were bonding on an even deeper level. It was as if their emotions became one where the finger touched. She bent her head to enjoy it, unwilling to think of anything else.

Someone clearing his throat at the door made her jump back to reality. She never even heard him coming. That spoke volumes on how deep she had gone into hypnotic euphoria when you considering the throat belonged to Jaune. "How long have you been there?" Weiss asked waspishly, annoyed at the interruption. Behind him she could see Pyrrha looking over Jaune's shoulder.

"About twenty minutes. Wouldn't have interrupted but we have things to do, and we can't wait a week until you're done to congratulate you two."

"You- you- you jerk!" Weiss yelled. "You did look!"

"Well, I couldn't really stop myself," he said sheepishly. "You were acting all mysterious and stuff."

The euphoria was definitely gone now as she went to claw out his throat. She was stopped by a single hand on her shoulder. "It's okay Weiss. He didn't ruin the surprise."

"But I wanted you to be the first to know..," Weiss said, a bit dejected.

"Then think of it this way," Ruby soothed. "I was the first one to know because until I said yes there was nothing to know."

She gave Jaune a deadly glare, "Not good enough. You will pay." Jaune visibly swallowed. Weiss looked over at Pyrrha. "Don't worry, he'll live through it."

Pyrrha smiled her understanding. "If you think you can surprise him," she said proudly. The proud tone of her voice made it clear she didn't think that was possible. "He's all yours."

Weiss approached Jaune with menace; stopping close enough to hit him in the center of his armored chest with a finger. "I am not going to surprise you. You will know it is coming, and you will not be able to escape it. I want to see the fear in your eyes," she said, hitting him in the chest with each point. "So, how many have you told?"

"Uh..."

Of course. "You told all of them, didn't you?"

"No, not all of them," the dead-man temporized, trying to not dig his grave any farther.

It wasn't going to work. "Yang isn't answering her scroll still, is she?"

The walking corpse wilted knowing he'd be lucky if his grave was only six feet. "No, not right now."

The anger in her voice was unmistakable. "So you've told everyone except Yang."

"Pretty much yeah," Jaune acknowledged, getting ready to lie in the grave he had dug.

Weiss looked at Pyrrha again. "He'll probably be a bit singed, or frost bit. I haven't decided yet."

Behind her Weiss heard Ruby snickering through her hands. "I was having a perfectly wonderful bonding moment and now the mood's ruined." She turned onto Ruby. "Stop encouraging him!" Ruby couldn't hold it in, rolling backwards onto her back laughing harder and harder. "You're all hopeless!"

"Please stop... Can't breathe... Laughing too hard..," Ruby gasped.

"Serves you right," She looked at Pyrrha who she considered the only sane person in the room at this point. "So why aren't the others here then?"

"We drew straws," she said in a cheerful voice as if Weiss didn't look halfway to a blind age. Weiss wasn't, and everyone knew it.

None the less Weiss was going to hold onto the pretense. "Great. So who's next?"

"Nora," Pyrrha replied. Weiss had mixed feelings about Nora at this point. Yes, it had worked out for the best, but still she had nearly gotten Ruby to herself. No, she _had_ gotten Ruby to herself for almost five months. That was still a point of jealousy that she dearly would love to express... violently. Yet Nora was a friend. Inside Weiss knew that without her Ruby wouldn't have ever been comfortable to act on her feelings, and then none of this would have happened.

Because of these mixed emotions, above everything else, Weiss had made sure the two of them were never alone together. Weiss didn't trust herself.

"Anyways, we'll let you two have some more time alone before we send Nora in," Pyrrha continued. She had completely missing the emotional roller coaster Weiss's face had displayed right in front of her. She may be a good and loyal friend, and she was more socially experienced than her 'stuck on a pedestal' days, but she still had little hang-ups. One was not fully grasping body language and facial expressions. The rapid display of emotions Weiss had shown was like speaking a native tongue rapidly to someone who only knew it as a second language. It was kind of odd when you realize that Pyrrha's emotions were as easy to identify as her Emblem. "I'm sorry we interrupted."

"Yeah, congratulations," Jaune said nervously, and then left as if he was pardoned from a hanging. That was close to accurate actually.

She waited till the two were gone before turning around to face Ruby again. She needed that time to get those emotions out of her eyes. Weiss pasted a bright smile to show Ruby how much she loved her.

"Nope, that's not you," Ruby said instantly. "What are you hiding?"

Damn it, there were times that Weiss really wished her lover didn't know her so well. None of her masks worked anymore. Normally it was oddly liberating. Her masks were so much a part of her she didn't know _how_ to drop them. Having someone see behind them regardless meant she didn't have to try. Then there were times like this, when she wished to avoid a subject. She tried one more time anyways. "It's not anything important."

"Are you still jealous about Nora?" Well, so much for that smokescreen. Weiss couldn't stop her eyes from going down, caught and unable to escape telling the truth. Not when it had already been said. "I thought so. I saw it as soon as Nora's name was mentioned."

Weiss was clearly upset at herself. "This kind of reaction is beneath me. It would be like you being jealous of Neptune or Rice. It was before there was an 'us.'"

Ruby shook her head as if Weiss was being even sillier than she thought she was being. "I am jealous. How couldn't I be? All that time I wasted when I could have been dating you, holding you, and loving you, lost to someone else."

For once Ruby's aim wasn't quite on the mark. "Exactly, but it's more than that. You were my first with another woman. Nora stole that opportunity from me to be the same for you."

Ruby smiled in that special way of hers. "Now that's silly. Boy or girl doesn't matter. You have more experience than me."

"Right, that's why I was a puddle after you finished with me the first time," Weiss replied sounding peeved.

Ignoring the tone Ruby had to acknowledge Weiss was right. "Okay, I guess I may have had a bit more experience. You weren't exactly bad yourself though."

"Are we remembering the same day?" Weiss asked in exasperation. "You took over and made me beg. _Me_. I have never begged. I have never let anyone take control over me. Ask Neptune. I have _always_ been dominant. You overwhelmed me on every level." She'd never even guessed herself how much losing control would excite her. Ruby had, but how Weiss couldn't even guess. And Ruby had only gotten better at it since.

"It was the first time my heart was in it as well as my body. Up until then I had never experienced that." Ruby cracked a smile. "It's part of why I was so aggressive. I just had to show you how much I wanted you, how long I've wanted you, all at once."

If she hadn't been so frustrated at that moment she might have laughed. 'Aggressive' was one heck of an understatement.

"Dolt," Weiss said. "Leave it to you to succeed so well that it's almost a complete failure."

* * *

Nora prepared herself. Yang had referred to her as the Relationship Whisperer after she had helped her with Sun and Neptune. She really hoped she was going to live up to that title today. She had purposely waited until Ruby had been discharged and gotten to their room. Blake was keeping her distance as Nora had asked. They would be at their most comfortable and relaxed. She knew Ruby well enough to know she wouldn't fly off the handle, but she thought Weiss would take it as an attack, especially coming from her. She needed them both to be receptive.

Her normal way of talking would also lead to Weiss being on the defensive even if she was used to it. She had to take it slow and low. This was going to be irritating.

"Wish me luck," she said to Jaune and Pyrrha. She had to give this speech to them three years ago when they looked to be making the same mistake. It was the first time she had truly 'meddled' in someone else's life. It hadn't been her place, and she knew it. She could also see they had no idea what was coming. She acted then feeling guilty. Now, it was just part of who she was.

Walking across the hallway to the opposite door she knocked.

"Come on in Nora," Ruby said sounding cheerful. Having Jaune warn them she was coming had been a good move she decided.

One last calming breath and she opened the door. "Hi lovebirds!" she said with her usual cheerfulness that belied the serous thoughts hidden within. She automatically took in the scene. Ruby and Weiss were on their bottom bunk. Weiss was behind holding Ruby possessively. Weiss's arm tightened almost imperceptibly around Ruby as soon as she saw Nora. It had been the same with Jaune and Pyrrha. It was exactly what she had expected. There was more below the surface too. Stuff neither of them wanted to see.

Nora fully believed they were made for each other. She didn't think they did, no matter what they were saying to each other and to themselves.

"So I hear congratulations are in order?" she asked, still keeping the cheerful demeanor. Ruby snuggled in closer to Weiss with a contented smile. Nora decided her concern may go both ways. She'll have to figure that out. Weiss wasn't throwing daggers at her, but it was a near thing. Every inch of her said 'she's mine, so back off!'

She waited for some form of verbal confirmation from one of them. After a minute she knew it wasn't coming. "You know normally I don't mind being the one holding up the conversation, but this is getting kinda creepy."

At last a response came from Ruby. "Sorry, I'm just so happy right now. I'm going to be hers, and she's going to be mine. Could anything be more wonderful?"

Yeah, it was just as bad as she had feared, maybe worse. The potential mine field before her was intimidating, but if there was an explosion it was better if it was at her than at each other. "Probably not," she agreed. When in a minefield you might as well dance. "At least for now."

Weiss looked like she'd just been slapped, and Ruby looked confused. "For now?" Ruby asked.

"Of course. You two are made for each other. I knew that before you and I were going at it," Nora said cheerfully to Ruby. If that didn't get the reaction she was afraid of nothing would. Neither of them disappointed her. Weiss nearly went through Ruby to get at Nora; while Ruby fell off the bed and onto the floor nearly in tears. Nora didn't doubt she was contemplating how horrible of a person she was.

It's a good thing that people were so stupid when in a rage. Nora easily side-stepped Weiss's attack. "Whoa, did I say something wrong?" she asked, feigning confusion.

"How _dare_ you!" Weiss spit.

"How dare I what? It's not like you didn't know, unless you were blind when you walked in on us. Why should I talk around it like it didn't happen?" Nora asked conversationally. A certain level of possessiveness was to be expected, especially for a new couple. That was the problem though; they were still a new couple. The insecurities that come with it hadn't been worked past, and they both had more reasons to be than most.

Weiss may look like she was back to her old self, but she had to still feel the lack of her family's name and prestige. It had been too much of who she was for too long. Without that she would doubt anyone would want her even if she didn't say anything. Ruby had it better, but there was a ton of guilt on her shoulders and Nora accepted her part in that.

Nora dodged another clumsy attack while Ruby actually started to cry. She had brought the problems to the surface, which had been ridiculously easy. "Weiss, rather than trying to kill me, perhaps you might want to take care of the woman you love?" Nora said helpfully. "She doesn't look so good."

That broke through the rage making her instantly be at Ruby's side to hug her close. "Ruby, what's wrong?" she asked, her voice filled with the emotion she claimed to never show.

Now to turn it around before she made her point. "You know Weiss, if this relationship of yours is this upsetting already, maybe you should move on?"

"No!" Ruby screamed instantly, her tears forgotten. She wrapped her arms around Weiss and pulled her in even closer than Weiss had tried. It looked almost like she was trying to merge with her.

Nora stepped back, watching it play out in front of her as she leaned on the other bunk bed. "If it's that easy to bring out your insecurities you two need to sit down and have a long serious talk," Nora pointed out. She looked at Weiss. "I expected you to be jealous; I didn't think you would actually try to physically hurt me with a single sentence." She shifted her gaze to Ruby. "And you, of all people, should know Weiss's heart well enough to know that the thought of leaving you is physically impossible for her. If you two haven't gotten past that, it looks to me like this engagement is more out of fear than out of love."

Both tried to deny it, neither sounded convincing. "All I'm saying is talk about it. It's between you two. I bring it up only because I want to see this come out right rather than another three years of denial and pain."

There was one last thing that Nora wanted to say. She knew Ruby needed to hear it and she believed Weiss did too. "Ruby, I know I was just a placeholder for Weiss. I could tell when you were thinking of her when we were together. It was better then. I don't hold it against you, and I forgave you as soon as I knew what you were doing." With any luck that would not only ease Ruby's guilt towards her, but it might reduce Weiss's jealousy. It wasn't just her Ruby needed to hear it from. "Weiss, you need to do the same thing for her. I understand if you can never forgive me, but save her this pain."

A pounding on the door interrupted the conversation. Nora was satisfied. The wounds would continue to bleed, but at least it was on the surface now, where it could heal properly and be stronger for it.

"Ruby, it's your sister! She's getting flown in!" Jaune said, pounding on the door a few more times. "I don't know how bad it is, but the rescue ship is asking for emergency personal to be waiting for them at the airfield. They'll be here..."

Nora doubted Ruby heard anything beyond that as she burst through the door, turning and running down the hall. "In about five minutes," Jaune finished unnecessarily.

Weiss was making her best attempt to follow in her fiancé's wake, but no one kept up with Ruby when she wanted to move. Nora did the same with Jaune, Pyrrha, and Ren in tow.

* * *

Ruby looked down at Neptune's body. He looked dead. If the doctors hadn't insisted he would live she wouldn't have believed it. This wasn't her first brush with the cost they paid for their job. She had seen classmates being badly hurt, or even killed, but none of her friends. She had always been spared that until now.

She had checked on her sister first, of course, but she was unconscious from anesthetic.

Sun was conscious. He had gotten outfitted with a back brace, and then told them what had happened; all that he knew at least. It wasn't much. Hopefully when Yang woke they could get the full story.

"He's in a coma. It's stable and he'll come out of it but it's anyone's guess when," she'd been told. Comas were one of the worse possibilities for a Huntsman. While unconscious they couldn't apply their aura to heal themselves. Worse, their aura itself seemed to dim, as if their souls weren't completely there.

When he woke up Neptune would have a new reality to face. His once perfect image of cool was going to suffer a hit with the number of scars he was going to have. His nose alone would never look right from the multiple breaks. The right side of his face had up and down scratches that hit bone and part of his right ear was gone. He was going to need dental work as half the teeth on that side of his face were no longer there, and a large patch of hair was gone. For most Huntsmen the damage would be badges of honor. They'd go to bars and give some absurd statement about how if they thought that was bad they should have seen the other guy. Most huntsmen weren't as vein as Neptune.

Injury-wise he was an even bigger mess: broken bones pretty much everywhere, a hairline fracture on his skull, and several internal injuries. His surgeries had come first before Yang's, because they were the most life threatening. Yang had been kept unconscious the entire time though.

As Ruby understood it both Sage and Scarlett were already on their way to Vale. Like many teams after graduation Neptune's had gone on different paths. Also like most teams it took only a single word to come back together when they were needed.

"Ruby, Yang is out of surgery," A nurse said. She nodded her understanding and walked away from Neptune. Her sister was going to need her most right now, and it's where she wanted to be.

She looked at the members of JNPR. "Keep an eye on him for me, will you?"

"You didn't need to ask. Go." Jaune replied for all of them.

Both Weiss and Blake followed her without comment.

They sat silently watching Yang's motionless body for a half hour. She didn't look so bad if you ignored the bandages around her eyes. The doctors all agreed that she would regain sight. They had to admit that the surgery had turned out to be largely unneeded. The slice was quite literally perfect. Whether design or by accident was anyone's guess. Once she was conscious her Aura would fix the damage in a matter of hours. It should have healed before they even came to extract her in fact. Small traces of metal had been in the eye that had continued to irritate the wounds. That might have hindered the healing, but that shouldn't have been enough. The healing was progressing though.

Yang's head moved slightly and Ruby was instantly beside the bed. The blonde head moved again, and then the panic started. "No," Yang wailed repeatedly, stabbing at Ruby's heart with each one. She had to physically hold her sister down as she tried to get up. It was unbelievable. Yang was the strong one.

Weiss placed a comforting hand on her shoulder; which kept Ruby from feeding off of her sister's emotions. She smiled her thanks, and then started answering Yang's questions. She looked around several times. The rest of her team and Headmaster Ozpin watched, letting her take the lead. They all looked grim, even Ozpin who never seemed to look anything but calm bordering on bored.

Her sister's first questions were for Sun and Neptune, which was unsurprising to Ruby. She didn't understand it, but the three seemed to be getting along a bit better than was "normal," but who was she to judge?

It fell on Ruby to tell her, and she did it as gently as she could. Yang's question was pitched in a way that sounded like she expected to find out one or both were dead. From what Ruby had seen of both she wasn't surprised. The relief in Yang's posture was unmistakable.

Then on to the good news, letting Yang know that her eyes would recover.

Yang started to talk nonsense about how she'd been played and used, and defeated. This was not the Yang she grew up with. The longer she looked the angrier she became. Whoever had done this was going to pay.

Then came the story on what had been done. The methods were too close to be a coincidence. It was the same person who had gone after her and Weiss. Who was this and why were they after them? There was an echoing anger in Yang's voice, and in the faces of her friends. This had just become personal for all of them. It was no longer a random attack and Ruby and Weiss had been the ones unlucky enough to be chosen. Now it was someone specifically taunting them.

When Ozpin was done with his questions he left and Ruby couldn't wait to see that door close.

Ruby started with what she knew everyone had to be thinking. "Whoever it is wants RWBY." She looked over her teammates to see if there was anyone who thought otherwise. No one even flinched. For finality she ticked off the two attacks then looked right at Blake. "You're next."

Blake looked around. She obviously wanted to agree, but if she voiced it she was afraid that she'd be kept away from town. With all the work she's put into Phoenix, and the fragile state it's in right now, Ruby knew it would take a lot to make her stop. Yang stayed uncharacteristically quiet, and Weiss simply waited like a wall of ice. "I agree, however I have to return to town regularly. Phoenix needs my presence."

Knowing it and hearing it were two different things. "And we need you alive!" She regretted the outburst almost before she started to say it.

They stared each other down, both determined in their own ways. Ruby would not see another of her team taken down, and Blake wouldn't let fear interfere with her responsibilities. Finally Blake broke the silence. "There are things bigger than us," she said adding the strength of her convictions behind each word. "The success of Phoenix is more important than anything else has in my life. Even RWBY. Even myself!"

Ruby looked around, trying to find support from any of the rest of her team. What she got instead was an unexpected voice standing with Blake. "We'll help you then." Weiss's voice was soft, quiet. She had to know this was eating at Ruby. Hiding her feelings wasn't Ruby's strong point. "I promised you that I would do all I could to end the prejudice against faunus. I may not be a Schnee, but I don't go back on my word."

Blake looked at Weiss with thanks. "That proves you're better than a Schnee," she said. It didn't sound like a compliment to Weiss, but as an insult to her bloodline. Ruby expected to see something in her lover's eyes: anger, shame, at least a bit of unease. Nothing. She just accepted that her family was not liked and had earned it. In other words she accepted reality.

Taking one last look at Yang who still had a feel of defeat about her, she made her decision. They were all in now. Yang's body language showed some of her confidence return as Ruby worked herself up to a lather; ready to beat someone to within an inch of their lives. Then with a round of Yes's, (She'd asked for aye, the jerks), Yang finally joined the conversation. "Fuck yes!"


	20. Divided They Stand

**Divided They Stand**

Jaune was in what had become his element. Ruby didn't know how Ozpin did it, but every pair that had been teamed together, seemingly randomly, had become best friends, or better in some cases. She smiled at Weiss briefly who looked mildly annoyed at her chipper attitude. Heck, even Cardin managed to find love with Sky, and a much better attitude. Pyrrha didn't talk about breaking his legs anymore. Not seriously. Nora was still another matter.

It went deeper than relationships though. The pairs were partnered with another pair to form a team. Those teams almost always worked together seamlessly. Among those four he picked the best leader. It was uncanny. There were exceptions, but they were rare. It could be the way they were trained, but even then the success rate was unnerving. She'd checked with other teams that had graduated as well as teams who were one or two years behind them. They all agreed with what she saw.

And her element was leading, particularly in the chaos of a battlefield. It hadn't been obvious at first, which was what surprised her the most. She was hyper, impulsive and scatterbrained. She had self esteem issues, and a need to prove herself. Those attributes more often than not got her taking on more than she could handle. That was her the day she was given the position. How had he known?

She looked back at Weiss and stuck her tongue out. "Brat," Weiss replied with a hint of annoyance which only made Ruby smile more.

Jaune was also a capable leader, but his strength was in longer term strategies and battle plans. Again, it was uncanny. Jaune had been the driving force that had insured the Grimm incursion. He had given plans that dealt with it quick and cleanly with a minimal loss of life. This from a boy who wasn't even partially trained when he first got to Beacon.

"Okay, so we're facing an enemy of unknown numbers who has excellent intel on team RWBY. They have successfully used that information to plan their attacks, and have set the locations to their advantage. We have to assume they have the same information on all teams. They also have an unknown way of making dust move on its own without changing its natural properties," Jaune outlined. "Have I missed anything?"

He looked over those in team RWBY's crowded dorm room. Team RWBY looked satisfied with the information. JNPR looked unphased which was only to be expected. That had no real contact with the enemy. The third team had been a surprise when they knocked on the door, team CFVY. Ruby suspected Velvet had something to do with that.

There was no surprise when Scarlet and Sage showed up with Sun, who was moving with the help of a wheelchair. Yang had automatically helped him to a bed to ease the pressure on his spine. Yang's eyes were healed at this point, but the damage still left a mark. When her eyes were closed a perfectly straight scare went from one temple to another.

"They've had the opportunity to kill us with both engagements but only chose to defeat us," Ruby pointed out.

"Humiliate us," Yang corrected sourly.

"So psychological attacks along with the physical," Jaune decided.

Team CFVY was the most experienced of the teams having graduated last year and were now active in the field. It showed. "Do we have any idea of limitations on this dust ability?" Coco asked. Smartly they had arranged it so Ruby and Coco were sitting as far apart as possible. Coco's handbag was like a laser pointer to a cat for Ruby.

Jaune nodded. "So far all we know is its limited by what the dust is normally capable of without augmentation. We've only seen Fire and Earth used so far but the fact that two have been used means all of them probably can. From the attack on the bullhead we know it is unable to handle water. We can't rule out more disadvantages but what they are is unknown."

Yang spoke with an unusual hesitancy. Her defeat had obviously gotten to her. Ruby hoped she shook it off quickly. All of them were going to have to show their A game. "Uh, is it possible that the dust can only be moved along surfaces? I could see the hole I fell through because of a small amount of light around the edges where whatever covered it wasn't able to make contact with the roof." She looked over everyone's faces, obviously embarrassed to talk about her fight. "If they were going for total darkness and could move dust wouldn't they use it to fill in those holes if they could?"

"Nice catch," Jaune encouraged. Ruby thought he noticed the same hesitancy from Yang she had and realized its cause. "It could be a limitation or it could be misdirection but any possibility has to be pursued."

Coco looked thoughtful for a second. "How about any ideas on where they are at? Is it fixed or are they mobile?"

"No ideas on either," Jaune replied quickly. "They've reached as far out as Patch, and as close as the central city. That's a lot of territory. If I was willing to bet I'd say they don't have a set location though. I wouldn't in their position. Their largest advantage has been surprise. They wouldn't want to lose that."

"Last question. Yang, you said there was no way for anyone to predict where you would run, or that you would be running the night you were attacked." Yang nodded guardedly. "What about Junior himself? You say he was scared for his life. If this enemy cut him a deal do you think he'd take it?"

Yang groaned, "Yeah, in a heartbeat. Why didn't I think of that?" She looked even more crestfallen than before.

"So, on to our assets. We all know each other's strengths when it comes to combat, so no point rehashing that. That would leave Phoenix." Jaune looked at Blake. "I'll let you fill them in on that."

Blake nodded and stood, arms behind her back, and looked at each in turn. All three leaders recognized the change in her demeanor and approved. She didn't just look the part, she was the part. No one would have a doubt she ran Phoenix with just one look. "Not including the command wing, we have five wings. The two most important for us is my black ops and my defense force. As a newly formed group they are still being trained, so their effectiveness is not what it will be in a few months, and their numbers are still smaller than I would like."

"I've had my black ops look for any clue of their whereabouts and strengths for the last four days, and I have had my defense force back them up. So far all they have come across is rumors, and most are wildly different. The general consensus is we're dealing with a small group of five to fifteen members; all highly skilled and none of them afraid of a little blood on their hands."

Ruby listened with interest. This was as new to her as the rest of the group. "How large is your defense force, and what are we talking about in the terms of skill level?" Jaune asked.

"Seventy-eight members, five are ex-military, the rest are average towns folk with only a week's worth of training. They are concentrating on defense, of course, so they would be good bodyguards once they are fully trained, but not very good in active combat. Black ops is down to thirty-two members. My head has been working to weed out the ones who are unsuited to the job quickly before they either die or accidentally reveal their existence. Twelve of them are thieves of one level or another which adds to their competence much better than my defense force."

"We have a numerical advantage then, but it will only be effective if they can pick the battlefield," Jaune decided. "Then obviously we need to draw them out. Ruby, Weiss, and Yang; you've all been targeted already. Blake is most likely the next on their list and once they complete that list we will have no clear idea of their next move. We'll need to plan this carefully."

"From this point on no fewer than three Huntsmen will stay with Blake. Keep it at a distance. They've proven already that they can manipulate the field so numbers don't matter when we are all close." Blake was ready to say something, and Jaune stopped her."This isn't negotiable." Blake stopped, accepting that Jaune was in charge of the planning. She'd seen his skills in action before and they had always led to the best possible results. She obviously didn't like it though.

"Yang, we need additional information from Junior. It's safe to say that he won't give it to any of us because he knows we will stop short of what our enemy will do to him." The tactician paused, and then asked with a certain level of humor in his eyes, "Can you get a hold of Raven?"

For the first time since her fight Yang cackled with glee. "Now that's evil. I'll see what I can do."

"Good. Now, another source of intelligence is Ozpin. It's safe to say he knows more than he's telling us. It wouldn't be the first time, and I'm sure he thinks it's for our own good. This enemy is tough and one that could likely take down an entire team, even one as good as RWBY, by itself." Everyone nodded in agreement. They had all been thinking the same thing. "Whatever it is I'm willing to bet we can at least get a hint of it in his office. Scarlet, Sage, you're a wildcard that he might miss. Think you can sneak in and look about?"

Everyone took in a deep breath involuntarily. Ozpin's office was sacred. You entered when asked, or you didn't enter. "I know, it's risky. That's another reason to have Scarlet and Sage to do it: plausible deniability. You two are acting on your own, got it?"

Both nodded, Sage looking grim, Scarlett looking excited. What a pair. "The rest of us need to get with Phoenix. We need to lend them our expertise to get them in a position to help us, and help themselves." He looked at Blake again. "I know they're distrustful of humans, but think we can get that turned around fast enough for them to allow this?"

Blake cocked her head to the side, thinking on it. "Probably not the majority of them yet, but I know I could get the heads to accept your help."

"That's a start. We'll work with it. Go to them and set the groundwork. Bring the rest of RWBY with you for a kind of ambassador and honor guard. Hopefully their fame will work to your advantage. On the trip there CFVY will take lead and JNPR will take the rear and keep a two block distance. It's an excessive amount, but I want to be sure that if they attack they don't lure us all into it at once."

"Once there I want CFVY and JNPR to split into pairs and watch the theater from across the street in cardinal positions. Pyrrha, you'll be with me in the north, Ren and Nora, take east. Coco, you know your team. Split them up how you think is best and take south and west. We're going to use coms to stay in contact with each other at all times."

"Sage and scarlet, wait till we leave to try getting into the office. We need the best alibi we can get and not being at Beacon at all is the best I can think of. "

"That only leaves one question," Jaune finished, "how long till you can arrange the meeting Blake?"

Again that thoughtful expression crossed Blake's face. "With only the five heads? Probably a matter of hours, but I'll have to check. Phoenix isn't self sufficient yet. Our members have their own lives and their own jobs so short notice can stunt how many appear pretty badly. I know Angie can be anywhere in a moment's notice. It's the advantages of being a thief by trade. I'll let you know on the rest in an hour."

"Okay. Everyone meet here in two hours then," Jaune finalized.

* * *

Yang went directly to the clinic after the meeting, pushing Sun's wheelchair in front of her. She dreaded it, but she couldn't stay away. It had all been her fault, and she would watch over him as much as she could and care for both. "Okay, the silence is killing me Yang. Stop being all gloomy. You're starting to remind me of Blake."

Sun grabbed the wheels of his chair, stopping them both dead. "You're letting him into your head, aren't you?"

"I don't know... Maybe. I can't help it. You two were there for me when I needed you, and then I let you both down when you needed me." Unconsciously Yang started rubbing Sun's shoulder where it was determined her shot had hit. Luckily it was in the back of the shoulder blade, and the round had been slowed down considerably by the roof. The damage was minor, but it was there. On many levels she couldn't stop obsessing about that shot. It was better than obsessing over Neptune's prone body, though she was managing to do both.

Sun spun the chair around to face her. "Don't make me get up and kick your ass. Neither me nor Neptune are maidens in distress, and you aren't the white knight to sweep in and save us. So don't give me the 'I failed you' crap. We all failed, and we'll all find him and get some payback. Got it?"

Was there any wonder why she loved this man? "Got it," she grinned. "Now let's go check on Neptune. I'm sure he could use a bit of that ass kicking, lazing around in that bed all day."

That moment of happiness didn't last beyond seeing Neptune. The docs said there was no change. His face looked horrible and Yang couldn't think of how he would deal with it. A peacock is only as good as his feathers, or so he thought. "He will pay," Sun said under his breath. "I promise you that bro."

Yang silently agreed. For the next hour neither said a word, just watched over their friend; Yang holding his hand; Sun watching in silent vigil.

* * *

Weiss and Ruby headed to the Garden. To 'their' bench. The spot where their relationship had truly begun. Neither could look at the other directly. There was a distance there that hadn't been before Nora had talked to them. It was a rift that had always been there, gone unnoticed and unwanted.

"Nora's right," Ruby opened by going straight to the point. They didn't have the luxury of time to dance around the subject. "Your jealousy needs to stop."

"And your guilt," Weiss countered, feeling hurt that the blame had been squarely put on her.

Ruby acknowledged the poor choice of words. "And my guilt," she agreed. She looked over at Weiss for the first time since leaving their room. "How?"

She watched Weiss look for an answer, and Ruby was doing much the same. Ruby couldn't look at her time with Nora without feeling guilty. It was good that Nora had forgiven her. It wasn't enough. She'd used Nora knowingly. Suddenly she realized that she wasn't guilty because she had in some weird way cheated on Weiss. She was guilty because of the way she'd used Nora. Even the last time they'd been together, the day Weiss had found them, she'd told Nora that it had been 'good' knowing the lie behind the words.

There was emotions attached to Weiss too, but it wasn't guilt, exactly. It was regret. She regretted not coming to Weiss as soon as she had even a hint of her attraction. How much time would they have saved? On some level she knew that went both ways, Weiss could have easily approached her too, but that had been out of her control. She had to think on what was in her ability to change.

Weiss broke her out of her spiraling thoughts. "I don't think I can forgive Nora," she said honestly. "She may not have intended it, but she took you from me, for however long it may have been. I can't see it any other way. I'm trying to, but all I see is her smiling face as she sat but naked in bed with you."

"That's as much my fault as hers," Ruby said, realizing that her regret did lead to guilt. Guilt that because she hadn't acted on her feelings sooner she had caused that kind of pain to Weiss. "I felt something for you long before I got together with Nora, and I just couldn't admit it to you, or to myself. If I had none of that would have happened."

Weiss covered Ruby's hand with her own. "Nora was right in that too," She told her fiancé. "I have to tell you, I forgive you for your part. I was never approachable; it was only natural for you to take that hint." Ruby looked away again, unable to accept the forgiveness she didn't feel she deserved. Weiss wasn't having any of it though as she grabbed Ruby by the chin and forced her to look again into Weiss's eyes. "I. Forgive. You." she said, emphasizing each word. "You're my Dolt, and as mine I'm putting my foot down. You _will_ accept my forgiveness. Am I clear?"

Ruby still wanted to look away, but she slowly nodded. "So what is it going to take for you to forgive yourself?"

Looking inside herself, Ruby couldn't find a clear answer. "I don't know. Time?"

"Time takes too long," Weiss said sourly, then shrugged. "But sometimes it's the only thing."

Ruby quickly changed subjects, moving the center of the conversation back to Weiss. "So, what about your jealousy?"

"I don't know either. I want to take Nora apart by the seams still," Weiss nearly growled. "If anyone else looked at you the same way I don't think I'd have the same reaction. You haven't shown any interest in anyone else except her."

Ruby understood where Weiss was coming from, but tried to make Weiss understand it was different than that. "Even knowing I was only with her because I didn't think I could be with you?"

She wasn't having any of it. "Especially because of that. She stole you from me. Can't you understand that? She _knew_ , and she took you anyways." There was no answer to that. That feeling of guilt returning to the pit of her stomach at the reminder of how she had caused that pain.

She should admit the full truth. Ruby knew that, but the truth was it hadn't been Nora who'd seduced her away. The seduction had been the other way around, and Nora was taking Weiss's blame. A last kindness from her former lover. She should tell the truth, but she couldn't. The shame was too great, and the fear of losing her was unbearable.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Pyrrha said into the sudden silence. "Weiss, can I have a word with you?"

Both halves of the arguing couple jumped, not expecting the amazon to be there. "This is private Pyrrha. Can it wait?" Ruby asked while Weiss just glared.

"I think what I have to say is something she needs to hear," Pyrrha said seriously. "And may help you both."

"Then just say it," Weiss told her testily. "I don't have time right now to waste it."

Pyrrha sighed, but agreed. "I understand. Do you know how much I wanted to hurt you once?"

Weiss looked floored, though Ruby had a shrewd idea what this was about. "Why? I don't think I ever did anything to you."

"You could have taken Jaune at any time our freshman year. I had to watch him pine over you. I even gave him advice on how best to attract you. I may be a nice woman, and I would do it again, but that still hurt," the redheaded goddess professed. "Worse was watching how cruel you were to him when you refused him. You didn't take him from me like you feel Nora did with Ruby. You did worse. You took the gift I wanted the most and stepped on it right in front of me." Ruby could only remember hearing that kind of anger in Pyrrha's voice when talking about people who preyed on those weaker than them. She certainly never had heard her use that tone about another friend.

She wasn't done though. "In the end Jaune came to me, and you know how it went from there. What you saw of it at least. You never saw the fights. You didn't hear him apologizing with true anguish because he had chased after you. And like Ruby Jaune had the same reason: He felt I was unattainable. That I had too many other options to have feelings for him, so he set his aim lower."

"That didn't make me not want to hurt you any less, and I felt guilty for wanting too. I knew you were simply trying to make Jaune realize there was no interest in him," She let loose one of her more common smiles that sprang so easily on her. "You could have been kinder about it though."

Pyrrha turned to leave, looking over her shoulder she said in parting, "you are right, we don't have a lot of time right now for talk, but later I hope we can discuss this further. I think I could help you from my own experiences."

After she was out of sight the couple looked at each other, hurt, pain, and above all else love showing in each other's eyes. Words weren't going to help at this point and both knew it, so they comforted each other with their presence. It was all they had to offer in the short time they had before they had to return.

* * *

Blake started making calls as soon as the room was empty. She got four answers, and all of them agreed to the meeting under such short notice. All except Thompson. Calls to his scroll went straight to his message system. That wasn't normal, and Blake was instant worried. Of her heads, Thompson was easily the most reliable and dedicated.

Thompson had set up a second on the night he had gotten the position. Blake went down the chain of command and called her instead. Shannon answered quickly. Like Thompson she was ex-military, and like Thompson she had a job that allowed for unexpected leave when necessary. These were the two main reasons she had been chosen. She agreed to the meeting, but said she had no idea where Thompson was or why he wouldn't be answering his scroll.

For this small of a group the auditorium wasn't needed. To avoid possible complications she set the meeting across the street from the garage the bus landed at. It was an option that pleased Jaune to no end, not thinking that was a possibility.

Looking up she nodded at Jaune who smiled his approval. "It's ready. They'll be there in two hours."


	21. United They Fall

**United They Fall**

Jaune decided that JNPR and CFVY would leave a half hour before RWBY. The two teams would secure the building the meeting was going to be in as well as the route there. Thankfully that was a short route. Once secured, the teams would split to cover the four cardinal directions in pairs, and each pair would be perched on top of a building to give them the best vantage. Jaune and Pyrrha would take the east; Ren and Nora would take the south; Velvet and Yatsuhashi would be at the west; leaving Coco and Fox to take the north. Once there Jaune would contact Ruby through their coms to give her the all clear.

The eastern point was right over the hanger that the bus would be landing at, giving Pyrrha and Jaune a bird's eye view of the friends they were guarding. North and south would keep an eye on them from their vantage points; while west would keep an eye on everyone's six. Once RWBY was safely inside all four teams would turn their attention outward.

It wasn't perfect, but it was as close as Jaune could figure with their limited numbers and time constraints. The dramatically shortened travel route made this much possible; which he was thankful for beyond words. The logistics for a cross town trip was a nightmare.

The first part went without anything worth noting. The building was small with very few rooms. Something else for Jaune to be thankful for. They were thorough though. This enemy had proven both resourceful and sneaky. Floors, ceiling and walls were all checked for any form of hidden traps, most especially dust. Once cleared they followed the plan and exited in each direction. As they traveled to their nests they swept the exterior for more traps. Only then did Jaune send word to RWBY it was safe with forty-five minutes until the meeting would begin.

No sooner did he send word than Coco's voice came over the com. "Jaune, you made sure that your friends got the credit for defending Vale. You are smart enough to know who the better team was then, and is now," she said calmly. He knew that tone from her well enough and it never was good for the one she was talking too. He reacted as did Pyrrha. Both shields were instantly on their arms and pointed northwest.

A split second later the bullets started to fly. "RWBY, abort. I don't know what has happened but your bullhead is a sitting target for Coco. Fox, what's going on over there? Everyone else, converge on Coco's location under maximum cover." Everyone confirmed the change in orders, except for Fox.

Jaune didn't bother telling them all that Coco was going to hear his orders the same as they did. At least it wasn't all of team CFVY. Velvet had sounded just as surprised as everyone else.

Jaune felt Pyrrha start to retreat towards the stairs that would take her down. As if linked they had each anticipated what the other would do next. Jaune stayed put and continued to draw Coco's fire. Her rounds were no joke, and he was glad that Filo was still inside Timo so they were working in concert to deflect those shells.

Fox would be silent for only one reason; he was either on his way here, or on his way to intercept one of the other teams. He wasn't likely to go after his own teammates and Ren and Nora were the farthest away. Odds were good he was heading here. Pyrrha was going to prepare for that attack.

"Coco, what is this about?" he asked, hoping for some sense in the madness. If there had been hurt feelings about his plans it would have shown last year when it had happened, not now. It certainly wouldn't have been this violent. Coco had confidence bordering on cocky, but she was the definition of professional.

No reply came, and the bullets continued to hammer into Timo. He knew what she was doing. At this point he was locked into position. If Pyrrha failed to take down Fox he would be done for. The only alternative was for the other four to converge on her in time. With them needing to take cover the entire time that was a gamble he would rather avoid.

At this point Jaune really wished Ruby was here. Field battles were her forte, not his. He would make do though.

Then the next surprise came. Jaune thought that if Coco and Fox were compromised then it was possible for the other half of her team was as well. It was possible they had faked their response. In that situation at least Ren and Nora wouldn't have them at their backs from their approach.

Unfortunately he'd been wrong. Without warning an explosion of pink dust erupted from the other side of the building. "Don't worry Jaune; we got the other two traitors. You just worry about taking out Coco," Nora said in a cheerful blood thirsty voice she reserved for killing grimm.

"Nora, what are you two doing? Abort and converge on Coco!" This was madness!

"Nora is correct in her actions. Leave them to us," Ren affirmed in calm zen-like tones. Jaune spotted three more explosions in that direction.

"Call off your team!" Velvet screamed.

"Showing your true colors I see? You are not prepared," Coco said coolly.

Jaune did not want to take the offensive against friends, but he couldn't continue to be passive either. "Pyrrha."

"Ready." Individually neither Jaune nor Pyrrha were the best fighters in Beacon. In concert the two were better than any other pair known on Remnant. Even separated by two floors no further words were needed. Both were so in tune they knew what the other was about to do.

Jaune retreated while still using his shield to keep the bullets at bay. Once he reached the wall he stepped over the edge without a second thought. Pulling his shield in tight he braced it up against his shoulder and pointed it westward. A split second later he passed the second floor window as Pyrrha jumped out. Using her semblance she added force to both her leg armor and Jaune's shield. At one moment she used polarity to attract the two together, and as soon as her feet made contact she reversed it; flinging her forward rapidly. "Three," Jaune said as she kicked off.

Jaune put her out of his mind at that point. She would be okay. He had his own fight and it would find him soon. Converting Filo and Timo into an armored arm sword, he dug it into the wall in front of him at a forty-five degree angle. The angle pulled him towards the wall. When his feet made contact his weapons converted again into an armored fore-arm rifle. His feet touched the wall, and the rifle fired. The recoil combined with his kickoff sent him into the building across from him: the student garage.

Distance fighters would be at a disadvantage in the enclosed space, but both Fox and Jaune were melee fighters by preference. The sound of the gun fire would alert Fox to the change of Jaune's location. The blonde tactician wasn't happy with his chances against Fox in a solo fight, and worse he had to be quick about it. Now that he wasn't a target Coco would be on her way and against both he would be hamburger. His best option was a withdrawal that kept Fox chasing after him. That'll be tricky too since Fox was the faster of the two, but Coco was slower than both so it evened out. He just needed to stay ahead long enough for Pyrrha to take care of their teammates and then come for backup.

Speaking of, Jaune reached to the controls of his com and changed the channel to three. "With me?"

"I am Jaune," Pyrrha said immediately. "I haven't been able to reach the others yet, they're moving away from me."

That made sense Jaune reasoned. "Velvet and Yatsuhashi are doing the same thing I am; retreating to prevent a conflict. In their case it's probably because they don't want to kill our teammates, where I don't want to be killed. I'm going to circle in your direction." Putting word to action he ran away from where he expected Fox to be coming from and to the right. He used his gun's recoil, fired downwards, to help with each jump between buildings. He could have easily used his aura to boost his jumps, but that wasn't the true purpose of firing off a few rounds. He needed to be sure Fox knew which way to run.

 _Now if I can just stay ahead of him,_ he thought desperately.

* * *

Pyrrha prepared for the coming fight with Fox. She'd fought him any number of times in sparing matches, and they were evenly matched; at least when it wasn't life or death. The trouble was she didn't want to hurt him, and it was a safe bet that Fox had no such problems. She took in her surroundings to decide on a strategy. Awareness of where everything was could make the difference. It was too cramped to make using a spear or gun feasible. Sword and shield it would be then.

Next she prepared the field. She set the furniture so movement would be impaired. She wasn't sure if she could deal with a direct hit from that double-fisted attack of his. Making his footing unsure was her best chance to interrupt that. About half way through that everything changed when Nora announced her intent on fighting the wrong people and Ren backing her up. It was an easy decision. Of the two she was faster than Jaune.

"Pyrrha."

She had already decided on the window she would use. "Ready." She figured on where Jaune would be and how long it would take him to get into position. She timed it and jumped at what she expected to be the right moment. As if practiced a hundred times it went flawlessly. Coco was one of the best, so flying out of the protection of the building and across the street didn't surprise her long. Before she was out of line of sight she fired a round or fifty in her direction. Shield work was her expertise though, and, with a semblance that allowed for her to pull it, the hits from the bullets didn't affect her trajectory at all. The vibrations from the impact were numbing her arm though.

She landed behind the building they were supposed to be protecting at a run as Coco's bullets ate at the corner. At the same time her fingers worked the com and changed it to channel three. Once the bullets stopped she listened closely. The explosions from Nora's grenade launcher were clear enough, as was Ren's twin machine guns. That meant they were fighting at a distance. She held her ground for a minute and listened further to see if she got any clues on what Coco was going to do next. No noises were made in that direction. Odds were good she was on her way to Jaune who seemed to be the person her anger was concentrating on. It was also possible she had changed targets to Pyrrha since she was the last one targeted. The only other possibility would be Ren and Nora. As focused as they seemed to be on their targets that would likely mean their quick deaths without ever knowing it was coming.

She took a calculated risk based on her emotional response. None of her teammates were going to die today. She focused again on Nora's blasts. They were the easiest to home in on. Running from the protection of her building, Pyrrha crossed the street and back to cover. Not a single shot was fired at her this time. It also quickly became clear that her quarry was moving away from her. That was going to take time away from her reaching them. The advantage of this was it meant they were also moving away from Coco's last known position.

"With me?"

"I am Jaune." Pyrrha anticipated Jaune's next question and said "I haven't been able to reach the others yet. They're moving away from me."

Jaune quickly outlined his plan and Pyrrha approved. Jaune was a highly trained Huntsman but Fox had the edge. She was biased, but she was also a realist. On Jaune's last word she heard Timo fire off a couple of rounds and smiled. He was clever. That would catch Coco's attention, and if she was as focused on him as she said she was there was only one direction she would be headed now. That only left catching up with her friends and disabling them.

Not having anything to hinder her progress now she moved without the need of stealth. It only took her a couple of minutes to reach them. What she saw made it clear the only reason her friends weren't dead was because Velvet and Yatsuhashi hadn't tried. Yatsuhashi was using his massive sword to stop Nora's blasts; while Velvet's speed and enhanced jumps were allowing her to spiral around Ren faster than he could keep up. Her teammates weren't completely outclassed. . They were able to prevent their targets from either getting too close or to retreat.

She was going to be the deciding factor. Without hesitation she came in at a run just loud enough to announce her approach, and switched Miló to her rifle form. All eyes had gone to her and a look of shock came to Velvet's face as Pyrrha aimed for the floppy eared faunus. Still running towards her teammates she fired off a couple of more rounds, purposely missing, and then stopped next to Nora.

"Why aren't you answering your com?" Nora asked.

"They're compromised. I couldn't risk CFVY knowing I was heading here to help..." Then Nora collapsed as a gut punch knocked the air out of her. The rifle butt to the back of her head knocked her out. The surprise of the attack had been so total that Nora's aura hadn't been up enough to stop any of the force. "Them," she finished.

Three on one now, it didn't take long to bring Ren down after that, safely. "We have succeeded," Pyrrha told Jaune. "We are currently located at Fourth and Peach Street."

"Good spot. I'll be there in under a minute. Fox is right behind me and I'm running out of breathe so be ready." The other two had changed their coms to three already and nodded in understanding.

"Same gambit in reverse?" Velvet asked.

Pyrrha nodded. "You're going to get knocked out Jaune," she said. "Be convincing." Then she hid. It was actually a bit more than a minute and Jaune looked horrible as he gasped for air and was soaked in sweat. It didn't take much to bring him down. Velvet smartly kicked him in the stomach just below his chest armor from around the corner. It wasn't an act when Jaune went down to his knees.

"Let's finish it then," Fox said as he readied his blade.

Then he fell as Yatsuhashi brought his hand down in a chopping motion on his shoulder. "Sorry my friend."

Only Coco remained, and all four looked around defensively; sure that at any moment her attack would be coming. It didn't. What did come was Alice walking around the corner with Coco over her shoulder.

* * *

Alice sat back and watched. She had never been caught for a reason. She was careful, and she studied a situation before entering the fray. In this case she had been here only fifteen minutes after Blake had called her for the meeting. She was as far away as she could be and still study the meeting spot through her binoculars. She accepted she was likely going to be watching with nothing to show for it for at least an hour. She was proven wrong fifteen minutes later as she saw two teams of Huntsmen and Huntresses arrive.

She couldn't see what they did inside the building, but she could guess and given the time they were in there it was a thorough search. Once they came out of the building she once again approved as they checked their perimeter before taking up positions on all four sides. If she was going to find any criticism it would be that they hadn't checked far enough beyond that perimeter. She could easily kill four of them before they knew there was an attack if she had a proper sniper rifle. Judging by their numbers and the short time till the meeting that likely couldn't be helped.

It was when all four pairs had settled that things got interesting. She had almost missed it, but a human shaped shadow was only a couple of buildings away from one of the pairs. Knowing what to look for she checked the other areas and found a matching shadow near the pair opposite them. She wrote off the shadow effect. Any number of things could cause it both magical and mundane in this lighting. What she didn't write off was the grimm masks. This was the group Blake had warned them of and ordered them to find as much information as they could.

How had they found out about the meeting? Under such short notice there was no likely way except an insider. That was disturbing.

Before she could react to the shadows presence both threw something at their nearest pair then disappeared. It was possible they had simply cloaked themselves, however it wasn't likely. If they had that ability they would have used it sooner to eliminate any chance of being spotted too early. The more likely answer was they teleported, which in itself was disturbing. It was a known ability, mainly associated to dust though a lucky few had the ability as their Semblance. The odds of both of them having that kind of Semblance was highly unlikely. As for dust, normally it required an action to activate. They hadn't moved.

Almost immediately the northern pair stood up with the female changing her bag to the mother of all guns. The eastern pair must have noticed too, because their shields were instantly out and taking fire. The time for waiting was over. Alice jumped into action. Saving time she simply dropped the binoculars and pulled out her pair of knives. She ran one of the routes she had marked in her head as soon as she knew for certain where everyone was going to be. When the sounds of explosions started she changed her knives into a pair of hand guns just in case.

Using the knowledge that any thief worth her salt would know she calculated how early a cop would be on the scene. She figured with this much commotion maybe fifteen minutes, at the earliest. Her opinion of the authorities wasn't very high. They were more reactionary and arriving after the fact. It was something she had always managed to work in her favor. In this case it meant they were not going to see any backup until the smoke settled.

She stopped a couple of buildings back to assess the situation and anything that might have changed. She hadn't been able to keep an eye on the fighting from the lower level she was running at, so was a bit surprised when the male was gone from sight. The explosions were happening more often now, and the gatlin gun had yet to stop firing. It was devolving into a war zone, and with the other heads likely to show up in the next ten minutes this could become really bad really quick. No time to over-analyze then. Moving as quietly as she could at a half run, which was surprisingly fast if you didn't take into account her training, she made it to the beret wearing woman's roof. Halfway there she changed her weapons into their last form; a pair of kali sticks with taser ends.

As soon as she touched the roof her opponent was aware of her. For anyone else that wouldn't have been possible. The amount of noise she was producing, and the recoil that negating any other vibrations in the area, should have kept her senses oblivious. Alice expected it though. The gun wielder pivoted on the front balls of her feet, bringing the gun of massive destruction around one-eighty to face Alice. It was Alice's turn to do a magic trick as she disappeared in a ripple of black energy.

Highly trained, Coco's actions were not slowed by confusion as her mouth said "Alice?" and her body kicked behind her where she expected the attack to be coming from. Seven years ago it would have. Alice had evolved since then. She had learned that anyone familiar with a teleporter would expect to be attacked from behind. Instead she reappeared in front and to the left of her and began using her kali sticks to great effect.

If it had just been the sticks or the tasers the attacks wouldn't have a great enough impact with someone of Coco's strength. Combining the two she didn't stand a chance. A rapid set of attacks came raining down on her with practiced skill. She didn't try knocking her out right away. The spots that would accomplish that were going to be the most protected with aura. Instead she went for the arms at the wrists and elbows, and the legs behind the knees.

She wanted that gun down before Coco had a chance to turn it into her handbag which would even the odds. It was half transformed when she got the strike she needed and it dropped to the ground. The surprise factor of her attacks had worn off, but it didn't matter. Two more shots, the last to her temple, and Coco was down.

"Well, that's not exactly how I thought we'd see each other again," she chuckled, and then listened for the sounds of battle. "Guess I can't just leave you here, but I can't move that heavy ass gun of yours. Honestly I'd be happier if it was away from you anyways until you're more yourself. I don't think I'll get that lucky again if you aren't surprised unless I have an edge."

Throwing Coco over her shoulder, Alice headed towards the fighting and heard the explosions stop. That made the machine guns rat-tat-tat's clear in the night air. By the time she drew near that had disappeared as well. Not knowing who had won or who was on what side at this point she hid and watched. She saw two people down, three standing. Both of the ones downed were still alive though, which was promising. There was more activity though so she waited some more, just in case surprise was needed. As it turned out it wasn't. Putting Coco back on her shoulder she came out of hiding around the corner and smiled at them.

"Alicia Greychild, head of the Black wing of Phoenix." She had identified herself right away to put them at ease. "I saw you needed some help so here I am. She's okay, though she'll be hurting till she heals up the bruises I just gave her."

Introductions were quickly made, though Alice kept her past with Coco to herself for now. She also relayed how she came to be there. "What did you see of the White Fang that attacked us?" Jaune asked first.

"Not much, but I can tell you this; they aren't White Fang."

* * *

 _Author's note: To find out how Jaune got Filo and Timo and what they look like check out One Shots, chapter 2._


	22. The Enemy Appears

**The Enemy Appears**

They had been five when they first arrived at Vale, each with their own specialties. One had been removed from the equation after proving himself incapable. He was the least of the five and his lack would not reduce the rest of their team's effectiveness.

The fools at Vale had gotten soft since the last incursion. They believed that the grimm wouldn't return so soon after being pushed back. They also had become too dependent on their technology. Listening in to the calls had been simple for one of his underlings. Unlike the other two he had been a member of White Fang. He had eagerly accepted what they offered him when he was recruited. Now the other two were freshly fed and ready to use their barrowed semblances in the coming gambit. It was unfortunate that the huntsman hadn't survived, but it was an acceptable loss.

He had expected the thorough check of the area, so he hadn't risked a trap that would warn them they were here. Instead he sent them in armed with a single dust crystal each. Its composition was so fragile that it hadn't been discovered by anyone else. The mining processes that was most commonly used destroyed them.

All it took was a simple toss. They disintegrated where they landed and became powder, light as talcum and air born. From there it would unfold with only a few words.

* * *

Coco and Fox finished the sweep of the building they were going to be using, and then settled until their friends' arrival. There were not enough of them to thoroughly protect the area. At least one team should be on the inside, and a roving team to cover beyond them, but given their limited resources she agreed with Jaune's plan.

Only seconds after giving Jaune the all clear she heard a sound similar to a small fragile glass breaking. Instantly alerted she turned ready for a possible attack. Her gatling gun had been out and ready already, so swung with her. Beside her Fox had also started preparing for the unknown.

Neither of them had radioed in the sound. It had been slight and unlikely to be anything. By the time they saw the orange dust float towards them it was already too late. All she could do was stand and wait. She screamed at every muscle to move, and none of them did, not even her eyes. She felt a presence approach. Her aura was so prickly she practically wanted to scratch her skin raw

"Your team was humiliated by Jaune," she heard whispered in her ear. She had never thought that before. She was confident both in herself and her team. There were none better and she knew it. It didn't matter what anyone else thought. They would continue fighting and kicking ass and let the results speak for themselves.

With those words she no longer could think that. Her team had been besmirched in the worse way possible. A second rate general directed a third rate team in their place because of a biased perception, or outright favoritism. It wasn't about the glory, it was about the respect they were deserved.

They had to pay.

Coco liked to taunt. It was her strongest weakness, but when you were assured victory rubbing it in their faces was acceptable. She let Jaune know why he had to die, but kept it as cool as a cucumber. _Let's see if he's as good as he thinks he is,_ she thought to herself. She began firing off an unending stream of bullets meant to kill as Fox disappeared to finish the job.

* * *

Nora was relaxed, not expecting anything to come of all this. Jaune was obviously overreacting. What were the odds of someone knowing there was a meeting happening? A half hour ago it hadn't even been planned. Ren was being a bit too serious though, so she started talking and bouncing ideas off of him.

She started with how to help Ruby and Weiss. Ren didn't really like how she meddled. That only made him a better sounding board. He was both objective and cautious to be sure that whatever advice he gave wasn't going to backlash.

When that didn't yield any results she moved on to Yang and her two love interests. That one was a bit more interesting with the new developments in Neptune's health. There was no looking slick and cool with the scars he was going to be left with. He wasn't going to take it well and it was a fifty-fifty which way he was going to fall, but he would fall.

"Nora?"

"Yeah Re..." Her nose suddenly got a small tickle that made her want to sneeze, but it wouldn't come out. Nothing would come out; not even the last letter of Ren's name. Every muscle, every hair as far as she could tell, had stopped moving. She wasn't sure which was worse: the need to sneeze, or the inability to talk. She was fairly sure she was going to go insane from either.

The sound of gatling fire and an urgent call from Jaune made her want to move, and after hearing "Kill the traitors" whispered in her ear she could. Both her and Ren answered their leader's call and left knowing full well that CFVY had turned on them. Nora cracked a smile. This was going to be a fun fight! Grimm were okay, but huntsmen would be a much better challenge, especially now that the training wheels were off!

* * *

His underlings returned to him only moments before their semblances ran out. They had lasted long enough. The limited time of their use had necessitated hiding at first. When the time came they used them to completely mask their presence. Delivery of the preplanned messages, limited to a single sentence by the properties of the dust they used, was simple with those advantages.

Watching from his perch he saw one fly in the ointment approach; an unexpected player. "Angie" they had called her. She shouldn't have been there for the meeting yet. It didn't matter though; who won or lost was of no interest. Only that they fought.

* * *

"RWBY, abort. I don't know what has happened but your bullhead is a sitting target for Coco," Jaune's voice yelled over the coms. "Fox, what's going on over there? Everyone else, converge on Coco's location under maximum cover."

"Roger that," Their pilot said as the team felt their plane shift off its preplanned route.

Ruby was the first to react. "No, they're going to need us if something's wrong! We need to get there faster not turn around."

"Sorry ma'am, orders from the headmaster. If something went wrong I am to immediately leave the area with you."

Ruby didn't bother arguing. "Yang; door."

Yang didn't waste any time either. Standing quickly she headed towards the side hatch, but before she could swing the pilot tilted the bullhead one direction and then another, knocking her off her feet. "I'm sorry ladies, but I have my orders."

"And we have friends who need our help!" Ruby stood and then knelt when the pilot tried the same maneuver on her. She pulled out Crescent Rose. "I'll be sure to let Ozpin know you tried your best," she told him as she turned her weapon into a Gun Scythe.

The hook of the scythe dug into the floor of their plane, making the shot steady, as the high impact rifle fired and knocked the door off its hinges. The armored plating had worked against it. Anything more flimsy and the bullet would have just punched a hole through it and left the rest intact.

"Let's go," she told her team.

During all of this they could hear everything said through the coms. None of it made sense, but it was clear by the time they jumped out of the plane that something very wrong had happened.

Individual landing strategies were good, but team strategies were better. It was a good thing too, because they were dramatically higher than the cliffs of their freshman year.

In this situation Yang's portion was simple: fall. Her semblance would insure she not only lived, but benefited from the impact. Recoil from Ember Celica's shots directed her to a landing spot that wouldn't involve destroying any property. This also meant she landed first, which was also part of the strategy. She could clear the area of any potential threats while her team was vulnerable.

The other three had developed a tag team system. Blake acted as a bridge as she held on to Ruby, and Weiss held on to the ribbon on the end of Gambol Shroud. During their decent Weiss and Ruby traded off. Weiss would use her glyphs to stop her downward momentum for a couple of seconds, and then Ruby would use Crescent Rose to reduce her downward momentum to a crawl. Through this they "stepped" their way down and used Yang's brightly glowing hair as a target.

With this approach at least one of the trio was in a position to fight off any unexpected attack, or at least slow it down long enough to land safely. It also minimized how much of their aura they used. In this case there were no complications.

Ruby heard Nora's maniacal laughter the entire way down through the coms, and she saw the pink explosions in the distance. What could have gone so horribly wrong?

"Yang point, Blake rear guard. There's no time to lose." Wistfully she remembered when she would have left without her team using her semblance. It would have only taken her moments to get there and she knew they would catch up. With age came the maturity to know that the one who finished first doesn't always win.

"You haven't figured it out yet, have you?" a strange voice came from all around them.

Yang stopped dead and instantly went to a boxer's crouch. "It's him," she whispered, her voice shaking.

A condescending low chuckle met Yang's words. "I stand corrected. You know, don't you?"

The voice was echoing off the walls of the buildings making it hard to pinpoint where he was. There was rustling from all four directions. They were surrounded. Ruby's mind sprang to action. "Checkmate," she yelled, pointing behind them. "Fire blossom," she continued and pointed ahead.

The indicated pairs ran where she'd told them. Ruby could have kept them together and punched through in a specific direction. It was logical, but she had also learned that their enemies were adept at taking down groups when too close together. She was hoping this minimized that without taking away their team advantage entirely.

Yang's reflexes were slower. Most wouldn't notice it, but her teammates had trained with her too long. "Get him out of your head sis!" she yelled as they moved forward.

"No!" Blake yelled behind them with anguish. Ruby had to trust that they were okay, because their opponent was now before them.

All she could see clearly was a shadowy cloaked figure with a Grimm mask. "Are you afraid of the dark?" he asked as the crystal light columns around them all shattered and fell. Ruby thought she saw spikes fly at each but it had happened so quickly she couldn't be sure.

"You won't make a fool out of me again!" Yang screamed in a sudden rage, her hair, which had already been glowing, intensified. Ruby was sure that her eyes were not only red, but lit like a grimm's. That is until she fell to the ground grabbing at her face and screaming in pain. Ruby looked around in the dark for a cause but couldn't find it.

"Powerless again."

Enough of this! Placing the head of her scythe behind her, Ruby fired off a round. The recoil propelled her at an enemy she had come to truly hate. She had never in her life taken human blood, and, though she dearly wanted to, she wasn't going to tonight either. She calculated the timing so the blade would miss him, the shaft would do the damage instead.

The swing went off course however when Weiss screamed behind her. Not that it would have connected anyways. With a speed equal to her semblance he sidestepped the attack, and then pushed her past him by the back of her head like she was a kid. It was as if he was just toying with her, because he was.

"So ready to protect the weak and make things better; never realizing that her sister's the weak one, and there is no way to make anything in this world better."

Ruby tuned him out. She wasn't going to let him taunt her the way he had taunted her sister. She attacked again, using skills that at this point surpassed her Uncle Qrow, who was reputed to be the best Scythe wielder on Remnant. Realizing how good her opponent was she lost all inhibitions and went for blood. It was the only way she was going to win this match and losing meant death for everyone she cared for. He was still talking, and she knew it was more taunts, but they didn't register beyond that. Her mission was simple: take him down.

She couldn't tune out the sounds of battle behind her though; especially every sound of pain that left Weiss's lips. That fight was not going well. The longer she took here the longer it would be before she would be able to help them.

Likewise the sound of her sister crying and whimpering in pain was unbearable. This ended _now!_

With one perfectly timed swing she caught his obfuscating cloak with the point of her scythe and ripped it off. What was beneath stopped her dead.

"Like what you see?"

* * *

Weiss and Blake ran where they were ordered, but not for long. Within moments Blake stopped as something ball shaped was thrown in her direction. In the light all Weiss could make out was white with red fuzz on half of it. Out of pure reaction Blake chopped it in half before it hit her, and it exploded in a spray of red. Most of it landed on Blake, but it was close enough that Weiss could smell it: blood.

"De'ja'vu," they heard ahead of them as one of the halves came close enough to a light. It couldn't be real, but it was a very convincing copy of Adam's head. His grimm mask fell off along the line it had been cut that matched the rest of his head. "Did you enjoy it more the second time?"

Fire ran through the Snow Queen's veins realizing the psychological attack this was, and the pain her friend would be feeling now. She was tired of the taunting. The fire in her veins was matched by the fire she shot at a human shaped shadow in front of her through Myrtenaster. Its light revealed a cloak billowing from a nonexistent wind and a grimm mask.

From the corner of her eye she could see Blake. She hadn't been completely disabled by the mental attack, but she was definitely slowed. _Not good. What's with the mind_ _games?_ She asked herself. _I understand a few to get under our skin and take us off our game, but this is well beyond that._

Realizing that the attack on Blake had been just as much an attack on her, she slowed herself and left the anger behind. She was smarter than this. She was smarter than them.

"No games for you, just pain."

Weiss had been keeping an ear out for the other enemies still unaccounted for. Sidestepping one as she heard it charge, she didn't hear the second one as it raked claws across her side. The cloth shredded and the skin flayed. The scream was primal as the pain ripped out her lips.

"Your mate must have enjoyed that. Let's give her some more music to hear."

The scream seemed to bring Blake back to full awareness. It was possibly too late. Three on two were bad odds, especially when they knew everything about RWBY, and RWBY knew nearly nothing about them. Teamwork only went so far in the face of those odds.

Trying to keep herself in the fight she applied her aura to heal the wound in her side. She couldn't tell how bad it was with the adrenaline kicking in, and she couldn't afford the time to look. It must have been worse than she initially thought. Before her aura really had a chance to start the pain intensified. Fearing that she might be bleeding out Weiss shunted any aura she could to the wound as the pain continued to increase.

Already nearly disabled by pain, an unexpected new weapon was used. A spike had been fired and successfully impaled her foot. The spike looked similar to bone, and it had gone not just through flesh and bone, but pinned her as it went into the ground beneath her.

Weiss realized the only reason they hadn't gone for the kill yet was because they were enjoying toying with them. They were making her hurt so it would in turn hurt Ruby. She bit down on the screams as much as she could but was not noticeably successful. Once they were done playing with them it would be over, but she wasn't going to go down without a fight.

* * *

The smile was impossible to not cross his lips. So predictable. Put their friends in danger and RWBY comes without a second thought, or anything similar to a plan. Their route was equally predictable: a direct line from where they got off the plane to where their friends were fighting. It had made the ambush simple.

That nasty little surprise he'd left in Yang's eyes would bring her down quick enough once she was angry. If RWBY stayed together the odds would be three against four. If they split one would confront whoever Yang was with, the other three would take on the other two. The odds were good.

It went even better when Ruby had been the one with Yang. It allowed them to play on her emotions as everything around her went to hell and she was unable to do anything to stop it. Their strongest fighter was sure of that. That was him of course.

She was better than he had expected if the truth was to be told. He'd prepared several barbed taunts, and she ignored them all. The sounds of her mate's screams, however, broke through that calm determination of hers.

It pushed her to a new level. When she got the hit that removed his shroud it had been to complete surprise. Well, he could kill her, or he could see how this played out.

"Like what you see?"

* * *

Sage and Scarlet snuck into the Headmaster's office slowly, quietly. They had camped outside and waited as inconspicuously as possible. As soon as he left with both cane and coffee they moved. They weren't sure how long they had before he came back, so they went directly to the most likely spot, his desk. Beyond their amazement they found his computer unlocked and powered up. A few clicks on the most recent items and they found what they needed.

"I believe that is everything you are looking for," The Headmaster said behind them. "Or, at least, all the information you are looking for that I have," and then he quietly turned and left his office. It was as if it was perfectly normal to have two Huntsmen, who had graduated from another school, break into his office. As if the information on his personal terminal was public records.

They didn't waste any further time, and gave up on anything similar to stealth. "What do you think that was about?" Sage asked.

"He wants us to have this information," Scarlet said with certainty. "Do you think maybe he knows we're going to fight, no matter what he says, and wants to give us a chance?"

Sage didn't answer directly at first. As he stared at the screen he set his scroll to download the information, and the blood drained from his face. "We'll need it."


	23. An Enemy Dissected

**A Nightmare Dissected**

Ruby's mind tried desperately to grasp what she saw. It stood a head taller than her, but just as narrow at the shoulders as she was. Its skin was black, and that smiling grimm mask was still looking down at her. The glowing red eyes somehow portrayed amusement at her shock. The white pieces of armor were familiar yet oddly new on his black skin. It wasn't possible. None of her classes, none of the field reports, not even a hint of a rumor, had indicated this was possible, yet here it was right before her: a human formed Grimm.

"Like what you see?" the abomination asked.

It wasn't possible. Grimm were soulless, mindless creatures. They didn't plan; they attacked out of pure instinct. They certainly didn't hide effectively. The only time you saw them in the city was nevermores who were easily seen from above and quickly picked off.

This wasn't possible.

"I guess not," it said as it reached to pick her scythe out of fingers her mind was no longer controlling. Muscle memory took over. As if it had a mind of its own she felt Crescent Rose react under her fingertips performing a one-two attack at first his arm and then his head. "Still some fight in you? Good. I like that," he laughed as he avoided both strikes.

Whatever this was, it was no longer blood she was aiming for. A grimm didn't get any form of mercy. Nothing was held back. Death was all they would ever find when before her. Her mind went back into action, and she kicked the fight into a new gear that her opponent had not expected from her. For the first time she had the upper hand in the fight and was pushing him back.

It was time to bring the rest of the team in on the loop. She ran at him and swung downwards with Crescent Rose. It forced him to dodge as she dug her scythe into the ground. She kept moving forward using the point as a pivot to feint a two footed kick at his head which he ducked. His partner didn't fare as well as she looked up and pulled the trigger. A look at the other fight and she knew which to kill first. The shot hit him in the back of the head with deadly effect.

The red that came out the other side was not expected.

"Oh, you assumed none of us were human, didn't you? Too bad." No remorse was in his voice at the loss of his comrade, just satisfaction.

She had never fought with true anger and uncontrolled hatred. The adrenaline rush was totally different, as was the mindset as her field of vision narrowed to just the monster before her. He was going to die, and she was going to be the one to do it. That was her only concern. Combining semblance with skill, she used the walls of the surrounding buildings like horizontal trampolines. With each horizontal jump she made rapid strikes at her enemy. She dug the end of her scythe into the ground to change trajectory quickly and throw in an unexpected shot. The vacuum of her passing was causing an artificial windstorm, and items off the street were being pulled around and buffeted him from every side. It was an attack she had learned after seeing Weiss do something similar with her glyphs years ago. Rarely using it, few knew it was coming or how protect themselves from it.

He wasn't prepared. Not at first at least. The first two attacks put him off balance and finally shut him up. Her third attack she took his arm off above the elbow. Like most Grimm it didn't bleed and the severed appendage simply disappeared like smoke.

She wasn't done. She had the next five attacks already planned in her head when he faded again into smoke and disappeared. She recognized this use of dust and wall jumped upwards to see where he had disappeared to.

She found nothing, and then a small cry broke through the rage at last. Looking down she saw two of her teammates down: Yang and Weiss. Weiss's enemies were nowhere to be seen and Blake was working on her injuries. Ruby was torn wanting to be there for both at the same time, but put her trust in Blake as she went to her sister's side. Yang was conscious, and still moaning in pain. A quick look at her face horrified Ruby as she appeared to have bled tears. "Yang, what happened?"

"My eyes..." was all her sister said listlessly before falling unconscious.

Weiss saw the smiling maniacal eyes of the man who was going to kill her. She had nothing left and Blake was too busy keeping herself alive against her two attackers to help. Then those eyes unexpectedly disappeared, along with the majority of his head, as she was sprayed with his blood. The sound of Ruby's rifle came a split second later. Ruby had killed. Her innocent Ruby, untouched by all the evil about her, who fought with an innocence that belied her skill, had killed for her.

No time for that thought and the tangle of emotions it caused. With no one to block her attempt she rolled towards her sword which had been out of reach. She was having trouble seeing, and her hands shook, but she had just enough aura left to direct her dust rounds. The surprise made Blake's opponents back off, giving her a chance to collect herself. The surprise had not guaranteed victory though, just a chance to catch their breath. The two remaining were still unhurt, and Weiss was still unable to do much of anything. Blake took up a position over her to provide protection, and Weiss backed her up as best she could from her prone position.

If she had just a bit more aura she could use a couple of glyphs that would enhance Blake's fighting ability, but what she had was holding her side together. If she let it go she knew she'd bleed out in minutes. In all likelihood she would pass before she could even make the glyph she was sacrificing herself for.

One moment later she realized they were going to die either way. It was best if it was just her if there was a possibility of saving Blake. Bracing for the pain she let go and with a speed born of desperation used the time glyph. It would only last for five seconds, but in those five seconds Blake performed more attacks than she had the entire fight before then.

Weiss didn't see any of it though as consciousness left her immediately after the glyph was done.

The meal had been divine. The best he could remember in the last eighteen years in fact. He looked down at his severed arm. That would take a couple days to grow back. It had been worth it. All the fight had cost him was a grimm masked pretender who believed a simple lie: he would be made into one like himself if he served. As if doing that was possible. Tomorrow he'll find a group of this 'white fang' and give them the same offer. He would not just replace the underling, but increase their numbers.

The new found ferocity in his quarry had been unexpected, and that last attack of hers was a complete unknown. Her rage was all he could have hoped for, but he would need to be careful of that attack in the future. If not for the strength he'd gotten from the former, the latter would have been his defeat. He wasn't ready for that yet.

The two remaining underlings had left combat as soon as he had. They'd sensed his use of dust and used theirs at the same time to disappear, leave the area, and returned to the preplanned rendezvous point. Like him both had taken minor damage. The worse was a foot. It would regrow overnight.

His quarry lived still, which he was happy with. Their existence had been a complete unknown. Only two huntsmen had survived and escaped captivity in their history. One of them had been a thousand years ago by mortal estimates, and he'd never uttered a word. The other had been more recent. She was so mentally destroyed that her stories were written off as those of a madwoman.

The mortals were getting stronger though, and their discovery was inevitable. If RWBY was the first then that would just add to their disorder and feed him further.

For a few moments he contemplated leaving. He could come back in a few years so they could relax and grow complacent again, but rejected it. He doubted they would ever grow lax and stop looking for him. Also he may have all the time he could want, their emotions had become a drug, and like any addict he couldn't walk away.

Instead he would take his time and prepare. His new men would need to be trained, and future gambits would need to be planned in more detail.

Greater risk leads to greater reward. His food had hope now. Crushing that hope, again, would lead to a complete destruction of their emotions.

A couple of weeks would suffice he decided.

A post conflict briefing was fairly standard, normally. In this case it was anything but.

"What's going on with Yang's eyes?" Jaune asked from the comfort of their room. It was the only comfort to be had among those there.

"The doctor is looking at them," Ruby said, worried and obviously wanted to be somewhere else. "So far there is no reason they can find for what happened. Yang said she actually could see, but the pain was so bad she could barely think. She's being kept until they figure it out, which is making her cranky."

Pyrrha's hand went to Jaune's shoulder in comfort and support. Ruby knew he was going to ask the really hard question next. "How is Weiss?"

Ruby teared up a little, unable to hold back the emotions, or the memory of Weiss lying on the ground with her white dress soaked red. "I'm tired of my team being in that hospital. I'm tired of being unable to protect them, to stop these monsters from putting them there. I know they want that. That they want me to obsess on how helpless we are, and I can't stop it." She was working herself up and the two people best suited to stopping it were the two people causing it. "I'm failing them in a fight we can't lose."

She remembered more that she couldn't say, like the look in Weiss's eyes when Ruby saw her at the hospital. A look only brought on because of the faunus blood she had soaked her fiancé in. Blood on her hands she would never wash off. A part of her had died with that shot.

They weren't the best suited, but they were as close as was possible at that point. Four arms wrapped around her, Pyrrha on one side, Nora on the other. Ruby went silent and leaned into the twin embrace. After a minute the tears stopped and her breathing went back to normal.

"So, uh, are you going to start making out yet, cause I'm all for that," Jaune said. It was the most inappropriate thing possible, and utterly ridiculous. It could have gone very badly. A few years ago he wouldn't have had the confidence to say it. He probably wouldn't even think it. Now it came out with a mix of perverted male innuendo and boyish charm and Ruby laughed despite herself.

"You wish."

"Very much so," he grinned back.

Ruby sighed, happy that the mood had broken at least for the moment. "She'll be okay. There were only two real injuries; one to her side, and one through her foot. The one on her foot was the worse. It damaged several tendons. It'll heal in a few days. The damage to the ribs had to of been planned. Under the skin they found several different types of dust. Together it was a cocktail that awoke every nerve in the area. She had to of felt like she was dying. Any Aura she sent to heal only fed into the dust making the pain worse and doing nothing to heal it."

She hated it, but she saw the doctors take careful samples of the dust for analysis and cataloging. From there the military was likely to get a sample. It didn't take much to know what would happen after that.

"Once they removed the dust her aura healed her side in less than a minute. It had actually only been scratches."

That left the next question which everyone was thinking. "How is a Grimm using dust?" Jaune asked. "It takes Aura to manipulate dust, and it takes a soul to have an Aura."

"Not necessarily, unless you think Athen's robots have a soul," Ren pointed out. "Aura is only absolutely required to have a semblance."

Ruby groaned. "Which they also have!" She thought about it for a second, "But I didn't sense a soul or an Aura. There was something else though, something I haven't sensed before from anything." She shook her head realizing it was like describing purple to them if she had been blind and working from a memory. It had been so alien, yet familiar. "Why is it every answer only leads to ten more questions?"

Sage and Scarlett had delivered the information they had gotten from Ozpin before returning to the rest of their team in the hospital. Ozpin had said nothing more to them, but Glynda had. Whether if that was with the Headmaster's knowledge wasn't clear, but what was clear is they were no longer welcome. They would be leaving that night.

The file had been depressingly short and hadn't told them much. These grimm were designated as "Reapers." There was a picture of one in combat against a huntsman. There was also a record of an unknown huntress escaping them. It was where the information had come from, including the picture. She appeared to be the only source of information. Presumably it was because they were very good at killing.

The last note on the huntress indicated she was in an asylum having been tortured to the breaking point. That made the rest of the information sketchy at best. It also made it clear that attacking their emotions was their main thrust. Being grimm it was easy to assume that they did it because of the negative emotions that resulted.

Ruby looked at the picture one more time. She recognized this grimm. Her hate burned and she knew she would kill him the next time they met.

"We can also add that not only are they able to use dust, but they understand how to use it better than we do," Jaune added into the silence. "We still don't know what they used last night, but it was definitely dust based and, luckily, temporary."

Nora visibly shivered. "That was weird. I wasn't being controlled. I mean not like a puppet type of controlled. I really wanted to kill Velvet and Yatsuhashi. All I could think of was their traitorous acts and killing them seemed a natural solution. Thinking back on it those feelings still felt like they were mine."

Jaune picked up where he left off. "The only other solid information from the file is they don't normally use physical weapons, and when they do it isn't bonded to them like ours are. They do have several natural weapons however. Claws and some sort of spikes are the two we know of for sure. They also seem to be able to blend in to their surroundings when they want, though that has only been seen at night."

"So, the ten million dollar question: Why RWBY?" Jaune asked at a complete loss.

To that no one had an answer or even a guess.

* * *

While sitting in her hospital room, bored, the tip of a disembodied sword appeared in the middle of the room, and then sliced a hole in reality. Walking out, Raven left the hole open behind her, so Yang knew this visit would not be for long. "Me and Junior had a talk like you asked. He was very forthcoming of the information after being properly motivated."

Yang had gotten used to this routine. How Raven knew when she was alone Yang had yet to figure out, but inevitably when she wanted to talk to her Yang would be enjoying some peace and quiet, alone. Well, today you could take out the 'enjoy,' but close enough.

She knew that she didn't want to know what Raven meant by "motivated." It was why Yang had called her, but that didn't mean she was easy with it. Pushing the thoughts away she looked at her Mother. "If it wasn't because of the results from your help they'd think you were an imaginary friend at best, or a hallucination at worse," Yang joked.

Raven ignored it and moved on with business. Whatever she had been through in their years of separation had destroyed any sense of humor she had. "He was approached by a member of white fang to setup the trap and, as you expected, it was in return for leaving him alone." She didn't quite sneer at the cowardice. "Why they wanted him dead is because he found out about that member's new employer: reapers. Ruby is in a lot of trouble, and I'm not sure I'm enough to protect her from it. They will not stop until they've broken her mind, her heart, and her spirit."


	24. The Eye of the Storm

**Eye of the Storm**

Sun sat outside the clinic's observation room, looking through the window at his best friend and his girlfriend. He could say she was with Neptune because she really couldn't be any other place until the doctors released her, but lying to himself really wasn't his style. Part of him was happy for it. Neptune was going to need someone to be at his side. Someone who could be doing it as more than just a friend to prove his looks weren't all that mattered.

Watching them he could almost accept what Yang was asking for. He wanted to accept it, and he had enjoyed parts of it. He didn't think that would last for long though. He was going to get jealous; Neptune was going to get jealous; and the two of them would only bring Yang down, not help her as she seemed to think they could.

And right now Neptune needed her more than he did. He was going to bow out, he just wasn't sure how. If he did as things stood now Neptune would be pissed and feel like some sort of charity case. Yang would feel like she'd pushed him away, and in fairness both were right to a degree. He thought about making up a reason to fight and leave in a fit of anger, but he couldn't think of one that either of them would believe. Heck, he couldn't even claim he found someone else. Yang would probably welcome that with the twisted way she thinks about relationships.

Sun realized suddenly that her idea of a relationship could actually be more secure. He wanted to hold on to her so tight that no one would take her from him, but what if there was no 'take' just 'add?' It could work he realized. From what Yang had told him it did work for her parents.

"You're going to leave her, aren't you?" came Nora's unexpected voice.

Sun was fully aware Nora had come to feel like some sort of relationship doctor, which was a bit annoying. It was fine when someone came to her and asked, but Sun hadn't. Instead she was butting her nose in. Still, he could use someone to talk to who wasn't Yang. "Do you blame me?"

She laughed gaily. "I would probably stay. I mean, yeah how she wants to live is more than a bit weird, and I'm not exactly sure I wouldn't end up killing whoever else she was dating, but who knows? We might even become friends, which is something you already have with Neptune in spades."

"And if you want to beat the crap out of your best friend because of it?"

"I'd make it a damn good fight! If it was Neptune I'd make it a food fight, just cause splattering him in mustard would piss him off. Remember the one we had freshman year? Oh, the look on his face! A bit of fighting is a good thing you know." Why the hell was she so casual about that?

"But I don't want to hate him. He's my friend!"

She laughed again, as if he had told a good joke. "I didn't say hate him. I said fight. Get out some aggression. Maybe make it a challenge. The winner gets to go out with Yang that night? Oh, now there's a fun thought! Yeah, I could get behind that."

"I don't think Yang would agree," he said, remembering a conversation about winning and losing they had not that long ago.

"It's called a compromise," Nora said reasonably. "She wants something you two aren't ready for. She should have to give in on something too, don't you think?"

"You realize your idea of a compromise is pretty blood thirsty."

"Well d'uh." Sun almost laughed despite his frustration. Nora and blood thirsty went hand in hand. 'D'uh' was an understatement. "Fighting is honest. You can't really hide much besides how you're going to hit your opponent next, and that is a pretty short lived deception."

Sun sighed deeply. "You may have a point. Right now it isn't going to be much of a fight though. I'm going to leave her."

"Wimp. Honorable wimp, but still a wimp," Nora quipped. "At least tell me when Neptune is recovered you'll fight for what you love?"

He gave that question some real thought, and for once Nora stayed quiet long enough for him to work through it all. "I don't know. I can't rule it out though."

"I look forward to it," she said as if he hadn't left any wiggle room, then headed into the room.

* * *

Yang looked down at Neptune trying to collect her thoughts. She had not failed him. She really could believe that now. They were out played and this is the consequence of the lives they live. That didn't mean she was off the hook though. He had been there for her; she was going to be there for him. It wasn't only because of what he had done for her though. She simply wanted to. This might not be love, at least not yet, but she did care for him deeply.

She felt she had a good grasp on Neptune and what made him tick. That was a good thing because otherwise she'd have tried ripping his arms off years ago. That knowledge told her he was not going to come out of this unscathed emotionally as well as physically. He was going to need to find a source of confidence outside of his looks. A confidence born from who he actually is, which she didn't think he had ever done. It was ironic that he was going to think that this would ruin him, and she was fairly sure this was going to make him look better in her eyes.

And then there was the balancing act of not neglecting Sun. She got the feeling he was close to being able to enjoy her lifestyle, but not so close that he could handle her attention on someone else for days at a time. Her dad always said that there were good times and bad times in his relationship with his two wives; times when jealousy was inevitable. He maintained the belief that jealousy wasn't a problem; it was a symptom of a problem. Usually that was insecurity in their relationship. She agreed with him and didn't want to feed into Sun's.

She looked down at Neptune's face again, half wrapped in bandages. She was told the scarring under those bandages was going to be significant. She wanted to see under them to know for herself. Not because she cared personally, but so she could judge how badly he was going to handle the change. If they had been subtle scars like the one she now bore across her eyes, he might be able to recover quickly.

Yeah, that wasn't going to happen. The state of his goggles alone told her that. The left side had been untouched. The right side was like scattered puzzle pieces, most of which were missing. The remainder had been thrown into a blender. Yang pictured that the left side of his face would look like undercooked ground beef that had gotten into a losing battle with a dull serrated knife.

Why hadn't she been honest with Sun from the moment they started dating? Either he'd have accepted it, or he wouldn't. If he hadn't then there wouldn't be a need to balance her time. If he'd stayed he might have another girlfriend by now to help with the balance. Now she didn't know and had to live with the regret.

The door opened behind her. She expected it to be Sun and was a bit surprised when she heard Nora's voice instead. "How is he?"

"About the same. The longer he stays in the coma the worse his scars are going to be. I keep hoping that it'll be any minute now that I see those blue eyes of his."

"Do you think it matters how bad the scars are going to be? They're going to be bad at this point no matter when he wakes up. We both know how he's going to take that. I bet you were obsessing over it right now in fact." Yang didn't answer, which was answer enough. "You're going to show him otherwise, I already know that. Everyone already knows that. Sun knows that too. You're going to lose him over it. Are you ready?"

Nora had only told her everything she already knew, but hearing it from an outside source made it harder to deny. "I know I am, and I'm not sure how I'll handle it when he does. It won't be easy."

"Glad to hear you'd given it some thought, not that I expected otherwise. What you probably haven't counted on is he might come back. I dropped a few things for him to think about on my way in, and I'm pretty confident it will work for you."

Looking downwards she made a small grunt of amusement as she smiled. Leave it to Nora to add a silver lining to a storm cloud that had none. "Thanks."

"It's what I do, apparently. I should set up a love doctor booth. I'd make a fortune I think."

Now Yang openly laughed. "You probably would, once people started taking you seriously."

"That's a wonderful sound to wake up to." The IV tubes, bandages, and six levels of other medical equipment, wasn't what stopped Yang from squeezing the life out of Neptune in a giant hug. It was the simple knowledge that if she did she probably really would kill him in his current state.

"I'll get the docs," Nora said as she left almost running through Sun who was coming in at the same time.

* * *

Ruby and Weiss sat staring at each other, neither knowing exactly where to start. Ruby looked at Weiss and couldn't stop seeing the blood that had covered her, and felt the shame that went with it. Weiss looked at Ruby and saw the member of the white fang's head disappear like a popped grape. She knew she was going to die if Ruby hadn't killed him and she was thankful for that. She couldn't think of anything else Ruby could have done differently. That didn't change the new reality. Ruby was a killer, trained by the best Academy in Vale and arguably all of Remnant.

Yet Ruby was an innocent, a bane to the soulless, and a champion of the light. Maybe Ruby's idealistic views of the world had affected her more than Weiss wanted to admit. She didn't want to believe that Ruby was capable of killing.

Weiss wanted to be cold and calculating about it. It would be easier than these feelings which were so messy and wrong. She remembered being told how feelings were never wrong, and the people who had told her that were idiots. It was wrong! Ruby had to choose between her blood and that of a killer. If she'd been in Ruby's position she would make the same choice without a second thought.

"Do you think this is what it was like for Blake?" Ruby asked quietly into the silence.

Weiss remembered Blake after her battle with Adam. He'd made sure that the rest of RWBY was busy with his White Fang so he could fight Blake alone. She wouldn't talk about the battle much, but afterwards the normally quiet faunus might as well have been struck mute for a month. "Worse." The faunus blood on Ruby's hands had been a stranger's, not a previous lover. There was no comparison.

The one word answer was obviously not enough for Ruby. She needed comforting from Weiss, and possibly forgiveness? Weiss wasn't sure on that last. Weiss didn't have any words to give though that properly expressed all of the conflicting emotions, so instead she reached out and pulled Ruby in close. She held her with all of her love showing, her masks falling off for her without any reservation. She cried tears of relief, of fear, of anger, and of love. She felt Ruby respond in kind. Then she did find the words. "You didn't let me fall."

"Never."

Several hours later a knocking came from the door. "Ruby, we need your help if you're up to it," Jaune's voice came through. Weiss had almost fallen asleep. "We'll be in my room when you're ready."

There was something in his voice that said this had some measure of urgency. Given everything that happened last night this warranted Ruby pulling herself together, wiping the last of the tears off her face, and answering. "Give me a couple minutes and I'll be right over." She leaned in one last time and kissed Weiss on the cheek. "I'll be back."

It took Ruby a few minutes to clear up most of the traces of her tears, then she left with one last look over her shoulder.

Less than a minute later another knock came at the door. "Weiss, it's Pyrrha. Can I come in?"

Weiss hadn't taken the time to clear up her tears thinking she'd be alone for a while. "One second," she said as she quickly used her sheets to blot most of them up. She knew it would still be clear she'd been crying.

Weiss knew what was coming. More emotion delving was ahead that she would like to avoid. Not simply because it dealt with how she felt towards Nora and Ruby being together, but also because of the pain she'd caused Pyrrha. Not only had she not realized she had caused it at the time, but she never gave any thought about the possibility afterwards.

"Okay, I'm decent," she said through the door and watched as Pyrrha came in.

Pyrrha was wearing her school uniform instead of her traditional armor. Weiss guessed that it was a subtle message that they were at peace with each other. Nora's influence again she guessed (correctly). It worked and she watched Pyrrha settle into a chair across from her.

Once settled Weiss started talking before her friend could. Any predestined speeches Pyrrha had prepared weren't what she wanted. This needed to be honest in a way only spontaneous conversations could be. "Why didn't you tell me sooner about you and Jaune?"

Pyrrha may be a master at shields, but her fighting style was mainly offensive. This was reflected in how she approached conversations that could be emotionally challenging. Weiss taking the initiative completely threw her off the planned attack. "Well, I guess it's because I wanted him to have what he wanted most."

"No, no, not that. I get that, even if it is a bit boneheaded. I want to know why you didn't tell me after. I feel like a heel not talking to you and clearing things up."

"What would you have said?" The shield mistress asked simply.

"Well sorry, obviously."

"Is that all?" And just like that Pyrrha had the initiative back.

Weiss stopped and thought about it. "Well, yes. I'd want your forgiveness."

That bright honest smile crossed Pyrrha's face. "You already had it. Telling you wouldn't have done anything but cause you pain."

"Wait a minute, you said you wanted to hurt me for what I did," Weiss pointed out in confusion. "That doesn't sound like forgiveness."

"Does that mean you haven't forgiven Nora then?"

That was a silly question if she'd ever heard one. "Of course not! I didn't know what I was doing to you. She knew exactly what she was doing to me."

"Did she?" her friend asked calmly and added "what was she doing to you?"

"She was taking Ruby and keeping her to herself!" She felt her anger building. What was wrong with Pyrrha? How could she _not_ be angry at Nora?

Yet Pyrrha stayed calm and ignored the heat in Weiss's voice. "You believe if Nora hadn't been involved you and Ruby would have gotten together sooner?"

"Well..," Weiss started, confused. "Well maybe."

"Let me ask you something else then. When did you first realize you were attracted to Ruby?"

Confused went out the window and was replaced by wild bewilderment. "Uh..."

Pyrrha leaned back, her smile never leaving her face. "Think it over, I'll wait."

Weiss realized Pyrrha wasn't going to let her off the hook, and was smart enough to know exactly where Pyrrha was going with this question. She sat thinking, but not about when she realized she first was attracted to Ruby. She knew the exact moment that happened. She was trying to find a way out of the trap she found herself in. It would force her to admit she had no one, especially Nora, to blame for not being with Ruby sooner. It was a wasted effort.

"During the food fight our freshman year," she finally admitted, defeated. She remembered looking up at Ruby after hitting a wall a bit too hard. Ruby was being over dramatic about it, of course, and Weiss couldn't help but find it charming. She didn't know it at the time, but that was when her perception of Ruby had changed.

Pyrrha nodded, though she looked a bit surprised. "That's about a year sooner than I expected, and two years before the rest of us guessed you two would end up together. It is safe to say then that you had plenty of time to act before Nora became a factor."

And there was the point Weiss knew she was going to arrive at. "In battle they say fortune favors the bold. RWBY is proof of how true that statement is. When I realized I wished to be with Jaune I didn't act right away. By the time I was ready he had already set his sights on you. I lacked boldness to act. We were all young and uncertain then which leads to hesitation and we both did. Those were our mistakes though and no one else. I was angry with you. I was also angry with myself. Is it not the same with you and Nora?"

It was, and Weiss knew it. She'd known it all along. The horrid truth was she really wasn't angry with Nora at all. She was mad at herself for all of it, but she was throwing all that anger at Nora. She had her opportunity, but because of her youth, and not understanding herself enough to recognize herself as bisexual, she looked away; concentrating on what was 'safe.' Neptune had been safe. He was cool, suave, and male. He might not be rich by her standards, but he could mingle with her crowds without sticking out. Father wouldn't fully approve, but better than bringing home a girl! She had been such a child back then.

"Thank you Pyrrha."

"You are my friend and comrade. You would do no less in my situation. It is why I was able to move past my anger. I expect it will be the same for you and Nora eventually."

Eventually. Weiss wasn't sure how long before she truly could move past the anger, but she would, eventually. She could fully accept that now.

* * *

Ruby entered JNPR's dorm room expecting to find Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren and Nora. Who she found instead was Jaune, Blake, and Coco. Including herself that was four leaders in various ways, and all four were hock deep in the conflict with the Reapers. "War council?" she asked.

Jaune nodded his head in agreement. "Blake's been in contact with all the heads of Phoenix that she can. Her Defense head is still missing. She's going to go meet each one individually rather than putting them all in one spot. One of us will shadow her and then be introduced to whichever head she's meeting. The idea is to introduce the two and start coordinating and training."

"You still think they're going to be able to help us with the Reapers, don't you?" Ruby asked, though really it was a statement.

Blake answered the question anyways. "Maybe. We have to try at least. They're using White Fang members to help. People will notice eventually and it will be Torchwick all over again."

Jaune added "The meetings are also going to be during the day. We think they're only going to attack at night. They revealed themselves to us but I think it was on accident. They don't want people to know what they are and are trying to avoid any hard evidence. All we got is a wild story that even the cops don't believe. They wrote last night off as a mugging of all things. Like common crooks could take on four huntresses."

"The only proof we had that RWBY was attacked had been their wounds and that White Fang's body," Coco pointed out. "I'm having trouble understanding how a grimm and a faunus could work together, and I really do believe you. With only the faunus body it was easy to write it off like they had."

A shiver ran up Ruby's spine at once again being reminded of the life she took. The image was still clear in her mind. The triumphant smile she had on her face. The joy felt at killing a soulless grimm, and the rage that followed when she realized she'd been tricked. "So who's first?" she said in a flat voice.

"The easiest and most important is Alice," Blake said sounding resolute. "She's already well trained and her wing is the one most important in finding these Reapers."

"I want to be the one to meet her," Coco said instantly, a bit of humor was unmistakable in her voice.

Blake looked at her instantly. "How do you know her?" Now that may not be an important question right now, but it was something that Ruby would really like to know anyways. Blake had an even better reason to need that knowledge since it involved one of her heads.

"She was a friend at Westbrook Academy," she said simply. "I bet she still says she's never been caught, isn't she?" Blake nodded her agreement. "Well that's mostly true, if you don't include the time she was caught stealing the answers to the midterm exams. She was expelled with no chance at getting admitted into Beacon. Still, she has skills. I'll vouch for her, if that is what you're worried about. She's a thief, but she is honorable too."

Well that was ballsy. Westbrook Academy was the Academy of the rich and famous, and had the security systems that went with that. Stealing anything there would be like trying to rob a bank in the middle of the day without being seen. "Given the age she had to have been it was no wonder that she'd been caught," Jaune whispered in awe.

"Yeah," Coco agreed. "Going after them for four semesters in a row was pushing things. Sad part was she only did it for the fun. She knew everything already, and she didn't sell any of them. She just showed off the envelope to a few of her friends then burned it in front of us. She can be a real showoff, so it's no wonder we got along."

Jaune had a thoughtful look on his face. "If she went to Westbrook her family has money, so why is she thieving? She could be living the highlife."

"For the same reason I became a Huntress: the challenge." She smiled at Jaune. "Not all of us became huntresses because of a sense of honor like you did."

A sheepish smile crossed Jaune's face. "Fair enough."

Ruby made another connection. Faunus, generally speaking, weren't rich. Middle class was the most many of them could hope for. Alice was a rare item then to be well enough off to attend Westbrook. That narrowed down who her family was rather dramatically, and you didn't have a Schnee as a teammate without picking up at least the basics of the who's who in business. "Greychild isn't her real last name, is it?"

"Is that what she is going by now?" Coco grinned. "Well, I guess it's appropriate. She is the black sheep of her family."

Blake made the connection next. "She's a Whitmore?" Black sheep of a Whit-e family… This Alice definitely had an odd sense of humor.

"That is her family," Coco agreed. "They're good people. I was at their last family gathering and had a good time. Alice wasn't there of course. It wasn't that she doesn't love them, but when she chose her lifestyle she way her father wouldn't accept it. She's wrong though. Me and Johnathan had a long talk about his daughter. He's actually been keeping a close eye on her."

The Whitmore's and the Schnee's were also business rivals, which was amusing to Ruby. SDC had the edge, but mainly because of the prejudice that was stacked against the Whitmore's. That spoke volumes for how canny Johnathan Whitmore was at business. She couldn't wait to tell Weiss!

"So when do we…" Jaune started, but was interrupted by Blake's scroll.

"It's Thompson!" Blake said with a bit more excitement than Ruby would have expected. She answered it quickly. "Where have you..?" Blake's face suddenly drained of blood. "Where?" she asked, then paused for the answer. "We'll be there."

She looked around at everyone's expectant expressions. "The Reapers have Alice."


	25. Reversal of Fortune

**Reversal of Fortune**

"They have Alice." Blake said, noticeably shaken.

Everyone else stared at her, trying to process the news. Jaune came out of it first. "I got about five different questions right now, all of them starting with 'how?' Let's start with the most obvious. How does Thompson even know that?"

"All I got was a quick message, so I don't know the details. He said they were at a White Fang cell on the east side. The exact address is 315 Pine road."

"That's close to Beacon," Jaune said, his boyish charms washed away as his tactical mind came to the fore. "It makes sense if they're keeping tabs on RWBY. It's also not far from where we were ambushed last night. All right, no point asking the rest of my questions, you aren't going to know any more than we do." He looked thoughtful for a moment, everyone watching him process the information.

Everyone except Ruby. "We're going to ambush them for once!" she said with a bit of bloodlust that was unheard of in her. They wanted to 'break her' Yang had told her. They wanted to utterly destroy everything that made her who she is, and to hurt her friends to reach that goal. Angry didn't begin to cover the emotions that ran through her, and the thought of finally having the upper hand was bringing that anger to the fore.

That was short circuited by Jaune's negative head shake. "No, we can't do that. Not yet at least. First, we don't know if these grimm have intercepted the call. They have in the past. If that's the case they will either not be there by the time we are on the Bullhead, or have made themselves ready for us. Secondly this is a hostage situation. If we do this wrong Alice will be dead before we have a chance to start. Last is we don't know their numbers or positioning which will make planning an ambush impossible."

He paused for a second and looked at Blake. "You said the Black wing has twelve members ready for the field. Mobilize them and have them get us that information. They'll need the plans for the building so they can be effective. We'll get that and send it to them. We'll use a scroll from an underclassman. They may be monitoring our scrolls, but I doubt they're monitoring every student's in Beacon. Does that sound feasible?"

Ruby felt crushed as she was denied her revenge, but she consoled herself with the fact they did still have a chance. It just wasn't going to be as quick as she wanted.

While she wrestled with those feelings, Blake answered the question. "Twelve is overkill for that small of an area and would increase the odds of them being caught or noticed. I'll send in three instead. I'll start with Alice's number one, and then go down her list of the most competent. Not all of them are going to be able to come so quickly, and that's what we need most."

"Exactly. That will work perfectly. While they're doing that, we can get our teams in order and ready for a fight. We're going to head there without using a bullhead. If they have anyone watching we don't want to tip our hand that we're in town." He paused again for thought. This time everyone gave him time including Ruby. "We can't make any solid plans till we have confirmation and numbers. I'll work on preliminaries though." He looked at Coco. "I'm going to use RWBY as the lead team. Will you be okay with that?" Ruby had heard about the battle between the two and the resentment that appeared to be the root cause.

Coco didn't appear to have any reservations in his decision this time. "They're the ones that have the biggest axe to grind, they should get first crack at them."

"It's more than that. These Reapers appear to be focused on them more than the rest of us. It makes them the better distraction while we extract Alice." That was Jaune nicely saying they were bait, but Ruby didn't care. First crack sounded good to her.

"I see that expression Ruby, and I need you to suppress that anger during this operation, along with the rest of your team," Jaune said sharply. "I only have guesses on the reasons why they want that anger, but we know for sure that you're giving it to them like this."

She knew that, but it didn't mean she could simply shut it off. She had never been prone to anger towards anyone before, even the grimm. They were mindless predators that needed put down for the safety of humanity. In her life there was nothing that had shown her how someone simply stopped being angry. Even if she did manage to find how Ruby knew the Reapers would provoke it back out of her. It was impossible. She tried to at least give the outward impression of calm. The look on Jaune's face told her she'd failed. "I'll work on it."

"Work quickly." He looked at everyone a last time. "Take care of your ends and meet me at the base of the cliff in an hour."

* * *

"It's what?" Yang asked again, vainly hoping for a different answer.

"It's dust inside your eyes. It's similar to what we was used on Weiss yesterday. In fact if we hadn't gotten that sample we probably would never have found out what was going on. It's a very small amount, but even a small amount when exposed with enough aura will cause intense pain. From your records I know you have Crimson Eyes. When that's active most of your aura is magnified from your eyes."

Yang did the math quickly enough. When she got angry she'd be brought to her knees in pain just as she had last night. "So what do we do about it?"

"Short of surgery there isn't much we can do except wait," the Doctor said with resignation. "Your body will eventually remove it as a foreign substance. It's just going to take time."

That wasn't the answer she wanted to hear. "How long?"

He sounded frustrated when he admitted "I'm really not sure. We haven't seen anything like this before."

It didn't matter. In an hour she was going to be in combat. She already had known she would need to keep her temper in check during the fight. She hated to admit it but her 'classes' with Glynda had helped with that. She'd learned several meditation techniques to center her, along with visualization training.

With this handicap she wouldn't be able to use her eyes at all now, including consciously activating them. She was going to be limited, but at least now she wouldn't be a liability in battle. "Okay, at least now I know what not to do. It's more than we had. So, am I released then?" Not that it mattered. She was leaving whether she was or wasn't. Not being with her team wasn't an option.

"Yes, I see no reason to keep you now," he told her, his voice conveying he knew he really didn't have a say in the matter.

Yang wasn't going to waste time meeting up with the rest of her team, except for one stop. She headed to Neptune's room to tell him and Sun what was going to happen. Neither had been told yet and she could predict Sun's reaction. That's why she had waited until now.

Now that Neptune was conscious he made short work of healing up the wounds on his face. Without the bandages she got a clear view of the wreckage, and it wasn't as bad as she had feared; though it was more than the vein peacock could take. The scars were straight, wide, and left the surface of his skin pitted along their length. They went downwards from his hairline to his chin. The patch of hair he had lost showed no sign of growing back, and his ear was never going to look like an ear again. Predictably he had gone into a deep depression as soon as he saw himself in a mirror.

Yang felt sorry for him, but not pity. He needed this in a very real way. She knew it was going to make him a stronger man when he came out the other side. She would make sure of it.

Both looked up when she entered, though Neptune looked down and away almost immediately afterwards. "We know where they're at," she said simply. "I'm going to go get some payback for all three of us."

She had hoped putting it that way would forestall any attempt of Sun trying to go with her. His back was healed enough not to require a brace anymore, but not well enough to take any hits or allow him to move freely. She knew how much he wanted to avenge his friend. She felt it too, but he was only going to be a liability in a fight right now. "Really? Good, I've been itching for a rematch."

Well, it had been expected. "You aren't up for a fight, and you know it."

Sun got instantly defensive which told Yang he knew she was right, but he was going to dig his heals in anyway. "I'm well enough, and you need everybody you can get for this."

"We need every _able_ body we can get," she said, knowing that arguing the point wasn't going to do any good. She thought about saying something about how he wasn't able to even beat her in his current condition, but decided it wouldn't work.

He was going to break up with her, she already knew that. She also suspected part of the reason he hadn't already was to save Neptune any guilt. Her next move was calculated to take care of both problems at once. He would have the excuse he needed to do it in a way that Neptune couldn't attach to himself.

All of his aura was focused inward towards his spine. It made the knockout blow easier, and as a sucker punch he wasn't able to block it. Knowing that, she held back most of her strength so all it would do is knock him out. She quickly caught his limp form before it hit the floor, preventing any additional bruising. "Tell him I'm sorry, but we don't have time to argue right now," she told him as she put him in one of the semi-comfortable chairs in the room.

From all appearances Neptune hadn't been paying any attention to anything after Yang's entrance into the room. Being talked to directly didn't seem to change that. Yang couldn't leave it at that. With a sway of her hips she walked up to his bed, grabbed his chin, and forced him to look up to her as she came quickly down and kissed him. "I may not return, so I'm not going to leave without giving you something to remember me by," she told him softly. She hoped that it would help him understand she was still attracted to him. He did look surprised but didn't say anything, just returning to look at his covers.

If she had any more time she would have done more, but she didn't, and she really was afraid she might not return. She sincerely hoped that show of affection would bury itself in his subconscious and start the healing process if that was the case.

Leaving she gave one last look at both of them, then headed towards her room to get armed and ready. She consciously removed both from her thoughts. Thinking of them would make keeping her emotions in check harder, as these beasts were responsible for their wounds.

* * *

Blake sat at the docs at the base of the cliffs. Getting a scroll to call out had been simple. As soon as she explained that Alice was in trouble they had dropped everything. To all appearances their mission in life became getting her any information they could. The Phoenix leader was impressed with their loyalty considering the short time they had been serving under Alice, and very grateful.

That left her here, waiting. All of CFVY, Ren, and Nora were with her. The docks were rarely used for more than a bit of fun in the water during the hot days of summer. Boats were slower than the bus was and took about the same amount of dust to make the trip to the city.

She contemplated Thompson and his quick message. He'd kept his voice hushed when he talked, and spoke as quickly as he could. That made her suspect he was inside the building somewhere. He also didn't offer to meet up with them which added to her suspicion, and she suspected that wherever he was he couldn't get out. He wasn't a captive though or he wouldn't have had a scroll in the first place.

Jaune had pulled her aside before she headed down asking if he could have been a plant. She had very few doubts he wasn't.

First, he had been running a group before Blake had even thought of becoming a player in White Fang's organization. She'd studied him once she had. While strict in a near drill sergeant sort of way, he'd been fair and he hadn't looked to get the message out in the same way as Adam.

Secondly she'd put more thought into how her heads were chosen than had been obvious. Aside from avoiding the question of bias, which she was, the fact that each member had to choose a leader, other than their own, made the odds of a mole getting through unlikely. There had been a lot of strife between the different factions. It was the reason they hadn't reformed on their own. They would only choose the ones they had the fewest reservations for.

So if her suspicions were right, and she was as close to positive they were as possible, why was he there and how? He was looking for the White Fang, true, but he was also to keep his distance. He was safe at least, which eased a bit of Blake's tension. Before the day was over the nightmare would end, and all of them would return safely. She forced herself to believe that.

Ruby and Weiss were the next to show up. These days it was unusual for them to be apart. Ah young love's first bloom; so romantic. They had looked a bit grim around each other after the recent battles. Blake assumed it was from the outside stress, and was relieved to see that they looked more at peace with each other once again. She sincerely hoped so.

By contrast Yang looked haunted when she came down. Another love life unnecessarily strained by these Reapers, or was it a bit of unaccustomed fear after the last two times she had faced off against them? It was hard to say for sure, but whatever it was Blake was confident she would shake it off before they crossed the lake. They met each other's eyes and Blake gave a questioning look. Yang's response was the bright smile she usually wore before a fight. She would be alright today.

The last two was Pyrrha and Jaune. They were more tied to the hip than Ruby and Weiss, and had been so for longer. Both had their game faces on as Pyrrha looked at the gathering and Jaune studied his scroll one last time. "I tried to get a hold of Ozpin to see if he could be any help," he said to everyone, "But I couldn't find him. I did get the floor plans for the building and got them to your operatives Blake. It's a two story building with no basement. Depending on what the Black Wing finds we're going to..."

Jaune kept describing plans in detail as they boarded the boat and headed out. He didn't finish until they got within five blocks of their target, and finding Blake's people waiting for them there. To say he had contingencies for just about anything was putting it mildly. Depending on what the black ops had discovered several of those would be discarded, and a few new ones added. She was glad it wasn't on her to come up with them. These kinds of tactics aren't for her beyond executing them.

After getting final numbers and positioning, the plans were set and the twelve warriors headed out to do their part. If things went to plan the fight would be over in minutes with no casualties except for the Reapers. If they didn't go to plan they'd switch to a new plan and the fight would be over in minutes with no casualties except for the Reapers. If everything went to hell in a hand basket they would switch to their exit strategy, the fight would be over in minutes, and they'd be able to get out alive and possibly take out a Reaper on the way. It wasn't air tight, no plan ever was, but it was as close as they were going to get.

Once everyone was comfortable with their parts in the operation, coms were turned on and checked. Jaune looked over the plans one last time to be sure he wasn't missing anything. Unsurprisingly none of the black ops were able to get inside the building, so there was going to be surprises in there he couldn't account for. They also didn't have a firm idea of where Alice was inside. Looking over the schematics there was two likely locations, one on each floor. Luckily there was no basement. It would be impossible to reach it in the twenty seconds he hoped to secure Alice by.

As for enemy forces, there were a total of ten White Fang on the bottom story. Assuming the cloaked figures were Reapers there were two of them downstairs as well. The second story had one Reaper and five White Fang. Of course the numbers were approximates. It was entirely possible that some had been. It was equally possible that they would switch floors. This couldn't be helped.

Human casualties had to be avoided if at all possible. They were not the authorities. As huntsmen their jobs were to take out grimm, not humans. The last fight it had been clear that RWBY was attacked and had defended themselves. This time they were the aggressors. A death on their hands could have serious consequences.

The general plan was simple. They were going to use a bit of stealth to get into position. Luckily for them there were no sentries of any form except look outs at the windows. Sneaking in without notice had a high probability of success. They obviously were relying heavily on their belief that no one knew their location. It was a mistake they were going to pay for.

Once there it would be time for some shock and awe as they raided the building. They had to get to Alice before the enemy had collected themselves to prevent a potential hostage situation. Their best wildcard was the enemy's own defenses: the traps set on every window and door. Not only will it be the biggest part of the shock and awe, it'll be a perfect bit of misdirection.

The wrinkle is that they didn't want the grimm to escape while they tried to grab Alice. When they ran across one a member of each team was to engage a grimm, and keep them busy until the primary objective was complete. Who took on which grimm depended on what they found. There were plans for each combination, including the frightening possibility of one team running into all three.

The worse possibility was that this was a giant trap. He didn't think so, but it wasn't something to rule out. Traps were the Reapers preferred M.O. That was why he made the exit strategy as strong as possible. There was no question they were going in. With visual confirmation that the Reapers were inside the rewards easily outweighed the risks.

Looking over the contingency plans one last time to be sure he hadn't missed anything, he nodded his readiness to Ruby and they moved out.

* * *

 _Author's note: Special thanks to CaveTroll001 for pointing out a major item missed by Jaune (The possibility of Thompson being captured and coerced into calling them), and that a couple of paragraphs explaining why he wasn't likely a plant was missing (now re-added)_


	26. The Chaos of Battle

**The Chaos of Battle**

While satisfying, the last battle had not been a complete success. He had underestimated his quarry's skill, and the faunus had recovered quickly from the deception. It made the fight more even than it should have been. His arm was a reminder of his hubris. It would be the last time.

He would break her, and her sorrow and pain would satisfy him for another eighteen years, but the others were not necessary. The loss of their emotions was acceptable and would only serve to break her faster.

Finding these White Fang had been simple. Negative emotions were like a drop of blood in the water was to a shark. These had enough hate and anger he could sense every single White Fang enclave in Vale. This was the largest, and it had been close to the last battle.

They were perfect. They were simultaneously an excellent food source and added muscle. With them he could finish his plans which were now on an accelerated pace. Unlike the black one's army, these had resorted to theft to fund them. That meant they had no need for jobs which made up for their smaller size.

They also already had a defendable lair. Unfortunately it was in an active neighborhood, so traps leading to the building could not be used. Instead they relied on blending in. There was nothing that indicated this was anything more than a large house from the outside.

When approached his new underlings were wary of them, then scared as they revealed themselves. One attacked out of fear and was quickly killed. This added to the fear and several tried to escape. Those had been stopped with warning fire from their forearm spikes. The fear was nothing like the Red one's hate and anger but it still was delicious.

Once they were properly cowed he spoke, which had only scared them more. Of course it had. In their limited experience grimm didn't speak, nor were they capable of reason for that matter. Revealing themselves was guaranteeing their deaths once they were no longer needed, but that was not for them to know. Instead when he spoke he made promises of power equal to their own.

The power of a hybrid which they would bestow upon them once they proved themselves worthy of that gift. He was not prone to mirth, but he did find this deception amusing. They were no hybrid. The possibility was ridiculous. They were grimm of the highest order, no closer to the ones just beyond this city's walls than a human was to a gorilla.

With a choice between death or power the decision had been simple. Naturally they kept an eye on all of them for an attempt to escape, and dispatched the couple who thought it possible. Two examples was all it took that night.

During this one of his subordinates secured the huntress. She was useful. The fact it would add to the faunus's anger and despair when what was left of her was put at her feet was a nice bonus.

* * *

Thompson was sweating in fear, but so was everyone else in the building watching the monsters in front of them. He had been searching for the White Fang cell as ordered. There was no doubt that these three were what had been his actual target all along.

He had been thanking his good luck at finding this group. More accurately, this group found Thompson to recruit him. His reputation as a hot head had served him well. He'd gone along with it to find their base of operation so he could report it back. What he found was a network of cells. It was nothing like Phoenix in size and scope, but it was growing. He had stayed hoping to find where all of them were. He really wished he had left right away now.

What caught his attention once the initial shock passed was the limp form over the big one's shoulder. The top half of the body was hidden behind him, but he could see the purple pants and the black leather soled shoes. For all that she tried to keep her appearance as normal as possible those shoes were rare. He kept his head facing towards the one talking, but his eyes stayed on her. He hoped his grimm mask would prevent anyone from noticing his interest. Once he got confirmation that it was Alice and she was alive he returned his attention to the grimm.

He didn't make any moves right away. Three bodies on the floor later made it clear his caution was warranted. They were not to be tested. They had Alice; it was possible they would know him too. He kept his grimm mask on and slouched slightly to change his overall feeling of confidence and his height. He hoped it would be enough to hide his identity.

All that was left was to wait for an opportunity to either escape or to get a message out. Until then he would observe them and learn. They weren't shy on showing off their abilities and it was impressive. The one he identified as the leader was missing one of his arms at the elbow, yet that wasn't enough to make Thompson think he had any chance against him.

* * *

"Are you sure about this Raven? I know how difficult facing them will be for you," Ozpin said with concern.

Raven had a stoic face at all times. She'd learned to control her emotions to such a degree that it took a mental effort to feel, and that was her greatest asset. "I will not be facing them unless my daughters allow them to escape."

Ozpin was quiet for several minutes. He came off as aloof to most people, but Raven's level of distance was miles further along. There was a chink in that armor though, which is what caused his concern. "Ruby and Yang being involved makes this personal."

Raven nodded. "Yes, but it has always been personal. This time none of them will escape me."

Yes, this was personal, for both of them. He had not wanted RWBY to get involved, but had to admit they had gotten closer to them than he had. Whether it was by luck or by plan did not matter. He would allow them to finish the job if they could and step in only if needed.

"They're ready," she said into the silence. Ozpin really wanted to know how she knew that. He had come to understand that she only could do it with Yang, so it was some sort of mother's bond. Perhaps she had figured out how to use dust to boost the natural bond most mothers had. Her time hunting the reapers had given her an understanding of dust that surpassed the greatest expert Ozpin had ever known, and that was far longer than most suspected.

* * *

"CFVY in position," Coco said into the com. Her team's position had been the easiest to get to undetected, and their entry was the one they were least likely to expect. She looked over at the roof hatch and gave a slight smile. No, not there.

A minute later she heard Jaune over the com. "JNPR in position."

"RWBY in position," Ruby said immediately after. "Entry in 3, 2, 1, _GO_."

Yatsuhashi brought his massive sword down on the roof while below them several explosions and one loud boom of Ruby's Scythe was heard. His attack had been restrained. Only the portion of the roof directly below them disappeared. Prepared for it, all four dropped safely. Each looked in a different direction to assess who was in the room and where. Of the rooms upstairs this was the one most likely to have Alice. It had no windows and only one door, making it the most secure.

They had been prepared for the floor dropping out from under them. The White Fang members had not been prepared for the roof falling on them. CFVY took advantage and rushed the six stunned members inside. "Room cleared but Alice isn't here. Sweeping the floor."

"Roger that Coco," Ruby replied. Like her semblance she was quick to adapt to the ever changing chaos of battle. It made her the best to lead and coordinate them on the field. It was why Coco had little reservations to her taking the lead, just as she hadn't during the grimm incursion last summer.

Jaune spoke up on his situation, which Coco tuned out in favor of her portion of the mission. The only thing that would bring the chatter on the com back to her conscious thoughts was mention of her name or her team's. Outside of the room they split, Yatsuhashi and Velvet went right while she and Fox went left. Her head count of the White Fang they encountered was higher than estimated, but they were easily defeated and didn't slow them. She cleared each room to the right and Fox took the left.

She only had a split second to react to the black and white blur barreling down the hall, but it was enough to roll into the room she had just checked. She finished on her feet, and turned ready for another attack. Calmly she reported to Ruby "Grimm located in hall, heavily armored." That last was to indicate which of the grimm she had found. During previous fights they had noticed that the reapers were of different sizes and body types, just like humans. It was part of the reason it hadn't been clear they were grimm until Ruby had seen one with her own eyes. No other known grimm differed in this way.

The plates on this one were so plentiful seeing his black skin was difficult, and thick as a Death Stalker's. What was also evident was his size. His shoulders nearly touched both walls in the hallway with the muscle to match.

"Coco engage, everyone else continue sweep," Ruby commanded instantly.

It was the right decision as far as Coco was concerned. Only herself and Yatsuhashi had any chance of breaking through that armor. Her teammate's sword was large enough that in this cramped environment he'd either destroy the walls around him, and whoever was on the other side of those walls, or have to go hand to hand.

Her handbag was going to have a similar issue in the hallway but not as badly. Heading into the hallway she looked to her left. "Velvet down," she told Ruby calmly, then at the grimm. "You are a fan of cheap shots I see. Let's see how you handle a fair fight," she said with a sneer, ready to remove the hindrance of the cramped hall entirely.

Ruby was issuing a command as Coco had taunted her opponent. "CFVY Continue your current objectives, retrieve Velvet once the floor is secure." The order was met with three roger's in unison.

The grimm took the bait as he gave a condescending laugh and charged her. She sidestepped him back into the empty room and was rewarded with him following. "Silly little fashion queen playing the tough girl. Without your gun you're nothing."

Coco took in his size a second time. It was more impressive up close. While not as tall as Yatsuhashi, it was only by a few inches and his shoulder span was easily wider. She was instantly itching to transform her handbag to its much more destructive gun form, but held back. She didn't want to bring the entire building down.

Taking one step forward she led with a snap kick using the forward momentum to add some extra force. He was quicker that he looked. He dodged backwards in time, then disappearing in a familiar ripple of black energy. Ignoring the incongruity, she pulled her leg back in then kicked backwards, feeling a satisfying crunch under her heel.

The force of the kick knocked the grimm down, his head hitting the ground before her. She rewarded his fall to the ground by swinging her bag up in a circular motion that ended on his head which left a hole in the floor. "I don't play," she said with contempt.

"Floor secure," Fox said over the coms.

"Yatsuhashi check on Velvet," Ruby said without hesitation to Fox's update. "If she needs medical attention get her out of here, otherwise assist Coco with the Grimm. Fox assist Coco immediately." The fact that Ruby was able to figure who was closest to Velvet based solely on their original plans, while in the middle of combat, was proof she was the most suited to running the operation. Coco had been hearing Jaune giving reports, and getting his own set of commands. She was keeping both teams separate in her head while commanding her own.

She couldn't tune out Nora's victory yell as JNPR found Alice and began getting her out. Primary objective complete, the secondary was still laying facedown before her.

Incredibly the Grimm was still moving. Every grimm she'd done the same move with was instantly dead. The armor was more effective than she had counted on. The itch for her gun went up several notches. She went to bring her handbag down a second time and encountered air as the Grim teleported again. Expecting him to learn from his last use of a semblance not his own, she jumped backwards two feet to where he had been last time. She was rewarded as he materialized to the right of where she had been.

 _If this is the same as Alice's semblance he won't be able to use it again for ten seconds. I'll need to make it count,_ she thought to herself. _If Fox gets here after that he might decide he is outmatched and make a break for it, and we wouldn't be able to stop him._

She went at the Reaper quickly. The surprise of not finding his victim where she was supposed to be was enough to get the starting kick to connect with his gut. With him bent forward she followed up the attack by connecting with his chin in an upward strike. That returned him to a standing position, presumably stunned. She had noticed an unarmored spot on his knee and tried to connect with it. He recovered faster than she had anticipated though. He dropped downwards with all of his weight and connected a double fisted attack on her right shoulder. The added momentum of him dropping and the mass of his heavily armed fists made the hit massive. Coco heard her shoulder crack, and felt her handbag leaving her deadened fingers mid swing to fly to the other end of the room.

 _Fuck!_ She yelled mentally. _Fox get your ass over here already!_ She managed not to scream from the pain. She wouldn't give this asshole the satisfaction.

She shunted some of her aura to her arm to deaden the pain as she rolled to her right. She used the momentum from the hit to speed the tumble trying to get some distance from him. She was unarmed and injured against something she hadn't made a dent in when at her best. The fight went from difficult to impossible in a matter of seconds.

"Ah, I broke my new toy already," he chuckled, obviously secure in his victory, and why shouldn't he be?

 _Those taunts are much more annoying when you're the one getting them,_ she thought irritably.

As much as she hated the role, Coco went on the defensive hoping Fox would arrive in time to help. Yatsuhashi had already left with an injured Velvet so he was her only chance at winning. No, he was her only chance at surviving. She eyed the window behind the Reaper trying to decide if she could make it their and out. It meant the grimm would have a chance to escape, but both her primary and secondary objectives were not a priority over her own life by Jaune's mission parameters. The issue was the booby-traps that were on every form of entrance and exit. Their exit strategy was her breaking it at range by throwing her now absent handbag. Diving through without it she had a fifty-fifty chance of getting killed from the explosion, but in here her odds were considerably worse.

She made a feint with her left fist then ran to her right hoping to get closer to her escape. The punch was awkward and without force. She couldn't put anything into it without causing more damage to her right shoulder, and her aura was barely holding the pain down to sufferable levels as it was. He didn't even try to avoid the punch. He knew just how hurt she was and had no fear of its impact. Instead his left hand shot out to block her true intent. Seeing the swing coming and lacking any way of blocking it she kept her forward momentum going. She dropped to her knees just in time to slide under the arm and still move past him.

It would have worked except her limply hanging right arm hit the floor and jarred her shoulder. The blinding pain was enough to stop her from popping back up to her feet and running at the window for two seconds too long. Feeling the fist coming down behind her she rolled again, this time to the left to protect her right arm as much as possible.

She was not quick enough and she felt his hand wrap around her left ankle. She attempted to pull that leg in to her chest so her right would be in range to connect with the offending arm. Coco didn't get the chance. He swung her upwards, making her head hit the roof hard enough to make a small hole, then back downwards to the floor. The second impact did more damage to her shoulder, but worse it broke at least three ribs. The attacks had done damage to both her right hip and knee. She wasn't sure how bad but she knew she wasn't going to be able to put any weight on it.

 _Damn, not the way I wanted to go out._ "I'm done," she tried to say to Ruby, but all that was heard was a wet sounding moan.

Then the hand let go after a sound she had heard any number of times, and it was followed by the expected muted explosion. Fox had gotten too her in time and delivered his most powerful attack to the distracted and wide open Reaper. "Grimm destroyed," she heard him say in the odd slightly off stereo of him directly and through her com. "Coco is down and in bad shape. Getting her out of here."

"Roger that. Good job." CFVY was out of the fight but all of their objectives had been met. A painful cough forced its way out of her throat along with some blood, and Fox instantly doubled his speed.

* * *

Nora smiled with unrestrained joy. Fighting was more than honest, it was freeing. Nothing else mattered but the opponent before her. No worries, no fears, and that freedom was an aphrodisiac to her senses. This battle was going to be quick, but intense. She expected it to be better than sex, and the afterglow when it was over would be just as wonderful. On some level she knew that was a sick way to view a fight, but she had buried that voice very deeply years ago.

"CFVY in position," Coco said over the com.

They hadn't quite reached their position yet. Reaching the back of the building undetected required a longer route, but eventually they made it. "JNPR in position," Jaune said when they got there.

"RWBY in position," Ruby said immediately after. "Entry in 3, 2, 1, _GO_."

Ren instantly split his fire between the two windows on their right side, while Nora let loose with her grenade launcher at the blank wall to their left. The explosions would cause havoc to anyone inside. There were similar explosions happening in the front to complete the chaos. Above she heard Yatsuhashi's own entrance. Pyrrha and Jaune charged in through the hole Nora had created first, shields at the ready to deflect any attacks on their blind entrance. It was a good thing as several spikes flew at them faster than their target's reactions should have allowed.

"Grimm located at entry," Jaune said.

Ruby was quick on her feet as always. "Nora and Ren, proceed to secondary entry. Pyrrha disengage and proceed to objective. Jaune engage hostile."

Four rogers were met to the commands and Nora headed to the left window as Ren headed to the right. The explosions had caused the frames to be set ajar but whoever had set the traps had done their jobs well. The structural integrity of the wall had not been compromised. Both of them reached their windows at the same time and dove through.

When she landed Nora went into a roll that she ended in the center of four targets ripe for pummeling. Magnhild transforming mid roll into a war hammer. When she came out of the roll she swung a three-hundred and sixty degree arc around her, knocking the stunned foot soldiers onto their asses. It was less flashy than Ren, who was busy performing punches, kicks, leg sweeps, and any number of acrobatic moves. That didn't matter. Her hammer was god in this room and she took out her opponents with ease.

Pyrrha's voice came over the radio soon after. "Second grimm located and blocking route."

"Roger. Team RWBY in-route. Ren and Nora proceed to main objective."

An even match with the Reapers had been part of Jaune's contingency plans, and this was the expected response to the situation. Ren and Nora had the shortest route to the only room left that Alice could be in and were going to be there in seconds. They hadn't even slowed down their progress to get their orders.

Entering the room Alice was there looking physically unharmed, but mentally out of it. Only four Fang were in the room, one having already recovered enough to bring a knife to her throat. With another move planned ahead of time Nora jumped and swung downwards at the floor. She pulled the trigger at the last moment causing the floor to jump and buckle. Everyone still standing on it was instantly disoriented, if not outright knocked down. Ren had jumped a second before the impact to not be among them. He went headlong towards Alice and the one who would use her as a shield.

It was a calculated risk. It was possible that Nora's attack would knock him off balance in the wrong direction and slice Alice's throat. The alternative was not to attack and have it devolve into a hostage situation with enemies on all sides. That alternative would lead to all of them dying.

The odds landed in their favor as he fell forward, the knife moving away from her throat. Ren was on him before he had a chance to recover. "Woo hoo!" Nora exclaimed into the com. "We got her!"

"Proceed with extraction. Front entrance is cleared." The explosion she heard over the com came a split second later through the air. Some people get all the fun!

"Yes ma'am!" Nora replied with exuberant cheer.

Ren had already sliced the ropes holding Alice to a chair and thrown her on his shoulder. "Let's go," he said simply and ran towards the offered egress.

Nora took point clearing any enemies that got in her way. It was a bit of a downer though because there weren't many who were capable of fighting still. One managed to grab her ankle from the ground. He looked relatively well if you ignored the gash on his head that was bloodying his golden mane. Nora was starting to deliver the knockout blow when he pointed. Once she was sure he wasn't getting up she looked at what he wanted her to see out of curiosity. It was a hatch in the floor with a head just poking out.

She hadn't given any real thought about the fact there was more White Fang in the building than there should have been, but seeing a couple come out of that hole explained it. "They're coming in from underground," She said into the com.

"Plug it."

That brought another smile on her face as she charged in and cleared out the guy unlucky enough to be getting out when she got there. She looked down with a grin that obviously scared the hell out of the next guy in line; especially when her hammer became a grenade launcher pointed directly down the shaft.

No human casualties was the command, and really she didn't want to take a life. She paused long enough for him to drop to the ground and run out of sight, along with a few accomplices who had been waiting below him, before she pulled the trigger. The tunnel was deep, but dust rose from the explosion to fill the room.

"Primary objective complete," Ren said through the com as he exited.

Nora didn't waste much time following, but she made sure all of the enemies were unconscious, of course. If anyone asked she was simply being thorough.

She'd been right; it had been quick, simple, violent and successful. Not quite as fun as she'd hoped, but it would do. The members of Alice's wing would be taking care of her from there. Ren and Nora would make sure no one else escaped, especially the Reapers, unless they got orders otherwise.


	27. Unconquered Ghosts

**Unconquered Ghosts**

He watched the next wave of fodder come up through the tunnel. This was an added bonus he had not counted on. Members of this group's network were starting to swarm in with visions of power. Not all of those summoned would come, but that was acceptable. At most they could tell others they were told of talking humanoid grimm, and no one would believe them. They would most likely not believe it themselves.

With the inclusion of intelligence meant individuality. While most grimm were identical, if you excluded overall size, they were above such limitations. Each had chosen the level of their protections.

He had his heaviest but slowest hitter go to the second floor to be sure none of their new army was going to try escaping. Before he went he fed on their captive's essence and gained a fraction of her power to help offset the limitation of his speed. He could have fed more, but would risk killing her if he had. Her talents were too useful to lose yet. Besides, it would mean less for him.

The last was near the rear exit to again prevent possible escape. Where the one upstairs was heavy but powerful he was lightly armored but faster than any of the others.

He himself was in the front room keeping the bulk of the army cowed. Perhaps allowing it to grow to this size had been a mistake. While they could overwhelm their prey with sheer numbers now, those numbers were getting uncomfortably hard to keep control over.

Equally troublesome was his dust reserves were getting thin. Feeding on their emotions nourished them and added power, but direct contact had another benefit. If the mortals knew where their precious dust came from he wondered if they would still use it? The dust crystals they created within themselves were bound to them in a way similar to a huntsman's accursed weapon. It allowed for limited control of it, and the ability to intensify its strength.

He decided to solve both of his problems. He started heading back to tell the agile one of his plan. He reached the back hall when the attack happened. He saw the light flood the room at the end of the hall from where a wall used to be. An explosion up front and a deep boom upstairs told him this was a coordinated attack.

The sound of the smaller arm spikes whistling in the air was met with the sound of metal, and he knew his henchman's attack had failed. Half way down the hall he saw the red head charge, stop, then retreat quickly at the sight of him. He was bothered by the lack of fear in her retreat though. Giving chase he kept an eye for an ambush and was grateful he had when he met the blonde. The two were coordinated in a way that made him think they may be telepathically linked. This would be a worthy battle.

* * *

Jaune felt a few of the crumbled brick debris hit his shield but didn't slow his charge. The bone like spikes that hit a split second after did give him a slight pause. He gave Ruby the update on which reaper he had encountered. He knew the play in this situation, he'd written it out himself, but Ruby called it anyways. A year ago he wouldn't have had the confidence to put himself against something as deadly as these monsters in a one on one fight. Honestly he wasn't sure he could beat one today, but he didn't need to win. He only needed to hold him off, and that he knew he was capable of. Pyrrha was the faster of the two so it was logical to send her in after Alice. Every second counted before the surprise of their raid wore off and they started meeting real resistance.

Pyrrha gave a parting shot though. Her shield flew, ricocheting off the walls. It hit the only two faunus in the room, then heading towards the back of the Grimm's head. A larger, longer spike flew from the reaper's arm at Pyrrha assuming she was open without her shield. She wasn't of course. It would have been a simple move to pause and knock it out of the air with her sword, but she didn't. Her trust in Jaune was absolute, and it was validated again. He deflected it with his shield in a spinning move that brought his sword slashing towards his opponent's abdomen. His sword and Pyrrha's shield reached their target at the same time.

If he hadn't seen it himself he wouldn't have believed the speed which the grimm moved. He was shorter than the Grimm Ruby had fought. He was barely taller than Jaune, and much lighter armored. If Jaune had hoped this meant he was weaker those hopes were proven wrong. The twin blows weren't blocked, nor did they land. He simply moved out of their way at the last possible second. He sent a counter attack towards Jaune as Pyrrha reached the door to the connecting hall, her shield bouncing back to her arm.

Dropping to a knee Jaune dodged the attack as he converted Timo to an arm shield. The smaller size allowed for maximum maneuverability against his quicker opponent. He sent the sword arced upwards in an attempt to catch the arm that had been meant for his head, and once again missed.

The grimm didn't miss as he brought his other hand upwards, connecting with a forward thrust of his claws just below where his chest plate covered. It had been a hard fought trick to learn, but he gave no indication that the attack had caused any damage. It definitely hurt though, and he was doing his best to not let the blood escape his mouth. His gambeson was red for a reason. It hid the blood and the extra padding was designed specifically to absorb it like a sponge

He used the impact to speed up his retreat. Hearing Pyrrha report that a second reaper was near he was glad he had.

A few seconds later and his semblance kicked in. His breathing stopped burning and the metallic taste in his mouth disappeared. Pyrrha wasn't the only one who hid her semblance's true power to gain a psychological advantage. She was his teacher after all. She was 'the untouchable warrior.' He became 'the unbreakable tactician.' He could heal anything short of a mortal wound within two seconds for as long as he had the aura to do so. Pyrrha had been right all those years ago. He had a lot of aura.

Pyrrha would be retreating back here so they could use their greatest strength, each other, to keep their enemies at bay. Knowing that he retreated to the door, ducking and blocking two more impossibly fast attacks. He placed his back against the wall on the left side of its frame. The shield flew out the door towards his opponent and he knew the play. He knelt to one knee and swung his sword at knee level blindly towards the entrance. His swing was three quarters of the way around when Pyrrha entered by jumping over it. A split second later her pursuer reached the door and his sword edge.

Pyrrha landed in a roll and came back to her feet as the shield bounced three more times. It missed each time but kept him busy. Taking that opportunity she converted Miló from sword to rifle and fired off three rounds towards his center of mass. Her opponent, no matter how fast he was, had no choice but to step back to avoid the strikes from two different directions. In a practiced motion Pyrrha extended her left arm to have her shield attach to her forearm as she spun. In her right hand she converted Miló back to a sword as she stepped forward into the spin. Her wrist extended at the last moment to give the most impact from her attack.

His own attack had surprised the grimm who managed to avoid it but was thrown off balance. Jaune expected that the Grimm would turn on him, so he was a bit surprised when he continued his charge towards Pyrrha. It didn't' matter in his overall plans though. Pyrrha and Jaune were 'the unit.' They were most effective back to back and that was where Jaune had already been heading.

Filo converted into a gun faster than most people could blink, so without missing a step he fired off two rounds towards the monster's head, paused for the barest of moments, and then fired off another shot. Naturally he wanted to hit him, but more importantly he wanted Pyrrha to know the next play in their arsenal. He missed with all three shots, but she did get the message. She cleanly sidestepped and swung towards the enemy she couldn't possibly know was charging from her blind spot. Jaune ran in a circular motion until he had both targets lined up, then fired off another round simultaneously with her attack.

Their enemies were good, and they were fast, but you can't dodge what you don't know is coming. The new contestant managed to dodge the bullet, but his partner wasn't so lucky. With any luck the damage to its shoulder would slow it down at least a little.

The beasts had a split second of confusion from the attack allowing Pyrrha to fall back and join up with Jaune. From there the fight really started. The bullet had indeed slowed Jaune's original opponent. That didn't mean he was beaten, and Pyrrha's ex-dance partner was just as formidable, if in different ways.

Their coordinated attacks were the only thing that was keeping them from dying, and even then just barely. They managed to circle around so that their retreating steps would bring them to the hole Nora had made rather than trapped against a wall. And there was no mistake, they were being pushed back.

* * *

He had been right, they were indeed worthy opponents, but victory was going to be theirs. Or it should be. There was an annoying drain on his strength that hadn't started to interfere with the fight yet, but it was growing. A spare moment of consideration and he knew that the other attacks were reducing the White Fang's numbers, and doing so quickly. With them gone the negative energies he was feeding off of were also waning.

There was nothing he could do about that though. He couldn't even feed off of the two in front of him. They were true huntsmen. Like the rest of their ilk they fought without any trace of fear or anger, just determination. Unlike the red one and her team he hadn't put any hooks into them to get past that armor.

It felt like acid, but he did notice a bond between the two, which only made sense with how they fought. Perhaps if one died the other would break? With that thought he decided to concentrate on the female when from behind he heard "Bumblebee!"

The red one was here. He knew at that point not only was defeat possible, it was likely. He held on to his last ace and faced the prey that had suddenly lived up to their titles of huntresses. Like the other two these three had none of the emotional tells that he had worked so hard to instill. Even the blonde showed no hint of anger. He suspected that quality was the deciding factor on who became huntsmen.

 _Well, my plan had merit before, I'll just need to switch targets,_ he decided as he contemplated which of the three new aggressors he would kill. _It's a shame the white one isn't here._

* * *

Ruby sat with Crescent Rose ready, mentally preparing herself for what was coming. Coco was already in position, and when she heard Jaune say "JNPR in position" the mental prep was over.

"RWBY in position," Ruby said immediately as Weiss formed a glyph before them. "Entry in 3, 2, 1, _GO_ ," and she pulled the trigger. The ice shot hit the door a split second after Blake shot out the single window facing them. As the door flung inwards from the impact, somehow not triggering its trap, Yang fired off a round from Ember Celica. Her attack connected with the ice and causing an instant steam induced fog.

She didn't need to tell her team what to do next. They knew their parts perfectly. Originally they were going to enter split between the door and the window. With the trap on the door not going off they didn't risk it, and went through the window as one. It had been a large picture window so they entered shoulder to shoulder.

Unlike the other two teams their mission was not to rescue Alice. They were there as a distraction, and to assist either of the other teams if it became necessary. RWBY used this fog to their advantage many times before. It caused no confusion for them. Those inside were completely god smacked with the combination of it and the initial explosions making them easy targets.

Into her com she heard Coco report "Room cleared but Alice isn't here. Sweeping the floor" just as she entered the building properly, to which she gave a quick acknowledgement. They were proceeding to plan and didn't require her to change anything.

Before she had a chance to attack the first enemy Jaune was reporting his own situation. "Grimm located at entry." She didn't pause as she drove through that enemy to issue the switch in plans.

From the corner of her eye she saw one of the Fang's members drop to his knees with his hands in the air in surrender. Blake paused in apparent shock, which surprised Ruby. Yang ran past him and almost in an absent minded action knocked him out with a backhand. Surrendered or not you didn't leave an unhindered enemy behind you. Blake should know better.

After three more targets went down in as many seconds Pyrrha's voice came over the radio. A second grimm was in the back of the building as well. It was a wonderful feeling when you could do what was needed and what you wanted at the same time. She gave the rest of RWBY the order to converge on Jaune and Pyrrha's position. They would need the backup, and that was RWBY's secondary objective. Chaos was already achieved almost before they had entered the building.

A quick hand gesture to Weiss told her she was to stay behind and clear the front entrance. They didn't want any more to escape than necessary. With her foot still injured she wasn't up to the headlong charge the other three were about to perform. She was the best choice to complete this part of the mission. The evil look that Weiss gave indicated she didn't agree, but she followed orders. Ruby expected to get an ear full after the battle though.

Reaching the entrance to the back half of the building Coco confirmed the location of the last Reaper. That meant both objectives were within reach. Things were moving well. That's always the worse thing to think at times like this. "Velvet down," Coco said

The room was chaos before her. Pyrrha and Jaune were fighting a defensive battle and being pushed backwards despite their skill. It wasn't a lack of talent that was the problem. The monsters before them were simply better designed to kill. "CFVY Continue your current objectives. Retrieve Velvet once the floor is secure," Ruby said from the part of her mind not occupied with the battle before her. She knew any hostiles would have to go through the rest of CFVY to get to Velvet.

A split second after assessing the fight she called Bumblebee and pointed towards a familiar enemy. His arm was still partially missing though it had regenerated to just short of his wrist. It may have been motivated by vengeance, but it really didn't matter which grimm they went after. It would allow Pyrrha and Jaune to not have their concentration split. Their fight was now winnable, and so was hers.

Blake and Yang went at him with a purpose equal to her own. Ruby sat back in reserve, prepared to intervene in either fight, and able to coordinate all three forces.

Being complete to the wrist was apparently enough for a long sword-like spike to protrude from the back of the grimm's arm. She recognized it instantly as the same type of spike that had pierced Weiss's foot.

There was something different about this fight from last night's, and she realized what a split second too late. There had not been a single taunt yet, or attempt to anger her. He was fighting with purpose. He was fighting to kill. Their guard was not complete, expecting that for them at least it was not a life or death situation. "Fall-"

The attack was quick. Faster than she had seen last night, and Blake never had a chance to either block it or avoid it with her semblance. A spike mirroring the one on the right fired from his left. The force of the attack propelled her back and pinned her to the wall, the spike protruding from her stomach. She wasn't dead by some miracle. Her continued screams proved it, and it brought the anger she knew he wanted.

She pulled the trigger on her scythe, propelling herself between his legs in a headlong slide. She intended to use the blade to hook and then slice off his leg at the knee. Immediately the difference was obvious as his speed increased. He easily avoided her strike while sending several powerful punches at Yang. Each attack was blocked yet pushed the powerhouse back several feet with each hit.

She tried to regain her cool, but couldn't. "You won't break me!" she screamed at it in a rage.

"Ruby!" Yang cried out desperately. "Control yourself!" Her hair was glowing and if Ruby had been herself she'd have known the mistake her opponent had just made. All she wanted though was vengeance by her own hands.

"Assist Jaune, he's mine!" she said beyond reason.

When Weiss got there Ruby wasn't sure, the tunnel vision for her hated enemy had become absolute, but the slap upside the back of her head caught her attention. "Dolt." It was only one word, and that was all it needed to be as sanity instantly returned.

Under her breath she muttered "I'm going to keep him distracted, go check on Blake. Yang's got this asshole." Regaining control wasn't the same as quelling her temper, but that was good. It would make the deception more believable. "Move it Yang!" She yelled at her sister who hadn't moved a step. She dived into another attack allowing her anger to add strength and speed to it. That anger was going to do the same for her opponent.

She knew Yang and Yang knew her as only sisters could. The deception wasn't going to fool her for a second. Ruby purposely pulled the Reaper's attention so he faced away from her and saw the smile on Yang's face.

She got the good news that the second floor was cleared except for the Reaper Coco was facing. She gave the new orders to face that threat. Being able to do two things at once was a gift. Being able to do it without losing her breath was the blessing of her semblance.

A split second after she finished that command she got the double reward of Alice's rescue from Nora. Weiss here meant the front had been cleared so she gave the go-ahead to extract her in that direction.

The news quelled her anger and her opponent found his own strength lacking potency with its loss. Yang chose that moment to strike hitting him fully from behind. This grimm was only lightly armored, but he did have a solid white shell on his back. Or he had one. The armor split and cracked under the impact, driving him towards Ruby with a waiting swing of Crescent Rose. It encountered nothing but a cloud of black that he disappeared into.

She spared a look towards Weiss and Blake as she swore under her breath at his escape. Her friend was now silent with Weiss over her performing emergency first aid. Then she shifted her gaze to Pyrrha and Jaune's battle, which had already ended it appeared. Both were running to their assistance.

The sounds coming from upstairs worried Ruby, and then she heard the wet moan over the com that was unmistakably Coco's. A sound she'd never heard before, or ever expected to hear. She was about to give the order for everyone to get there double time when she got the welcome news that it wasn't needed.

"What happened?" Yang asked. Ruby was confused by the question at first until she realized the dead reaper was still there, and it showed no sign of dissolving into the nothingness that was a grimm's end.

Ruby approached it, scythe at the ready. She couldn't comprehend how it could still be alive with the damage she could see, but she wasn't going to take any chances. Looking down she saw its mask was intact, lying on the ground next to him as if it was the grimm mask from the White Fang. Unsure if this was a ruse or an abnormality Ruby quickly used her scythe to remove its head. It still didn't dissolve but now it was undeniably dead.

"Keep an eye on it," Ruby said unnecessarily. "I'm calling in the authorities to bring in the Fang, and the Headmaster to make sense of what this corpse means."

* * *

That huntress's semblance had been useful, even if it was uncomfortably limited. Without it his defeat would have been total. Forced to use short jumps, he kept himself hidden to get around the two who were waiting to catch him outside. He felt the last of his comrades fall and knew that his mission was going to end in humiliating failure. He wondered if avoiding the finality of that defeat was the cowards escape. Facing his peers was certainly not a pleasant thought.

"That will be far enough, monster," he heard behind him, while a familiar form appeared in front.

"The one that got away," he told the woman before him.

"The ones, I believe you mean," the voice behind him said. Looking back he recognized him as well. His hair was grey now and he walked with a cane, but it was still the same man after a thousand years. So that's the reason feeding on him had never led to absorbing his semblance. Absorbing immortality did little when you were already immortal.

He looked back at the woman. Her sanity was clearly restored, yet he felt nothing from her. No hate or anger, nor joy. She said nothing as she approached him, silent as her nonexistent emotions. He understood now what it felt like to be the prey. He knew fear.

* * *

"Is your vengeance satisfied Raven?"

Raven looked at the swirling black wind that was the disintegrated remains of her quarry with a detached expression. "No. He was the one that killed Summer. Of that I have no doubt. He was not alone though."

He felt a bit awkward suddenly with his left hand lacking its traditional coffee cup. He could use a drink. "Your children did well tonight."

"You trained them well, all of them," indicating not only her children, or even RWBY, but all of the huntsmen who had participated that night. "Vale is secure for this generation. I'll leave it to them. I have a job to finish."


	28. New Beginnings

**New Beginnings**

Ruby took a deep breath, and waited for the pain. It wasn't as bad as she had expected as she watched the gun move over the surface of her skin. Perhaps being prepared for it had helped? Yang had promised her a beer tonight in celebration, but her and Weiss had other plans. Not that she would go for a beer anyways; too bitter. The rare times she went out for a drink it was usually something fruity like a strawberry daiquiri.

Their celebration was going to be house hunting. Ruby couldn't wait to start living on their own. She couldn't wait to finally sleep on something larger that a twin bed! As an excuse to cuddle or not Weiss rolled around on the bed too much. Then there was readying themselves for the jobs they had already signed on too. Those bonuses were going to make a fine down payment. She pictured what she wanted, trying to block out the artist busy using a needle to puncture her skin repeatedly.

At had to have at least two bedrooms, definitely. Maybe an office? That'd be good. A deal breaker would be a room big enough to practice in, and a large yard for the same reason. An outside obstacle course would be fun and beneficial. Oh! And she couldn't forget the guest bedrooms. Yang and Blake were going to want to visit, and JNPR would want to get away from Beacon every once in a while. How about...

"All done."

Ruby came out of her reverie with a bit of surprise. It had gone faster than she expected. Looking down she felt a wash of emotions. Her time at Beacon was over. This tattoo on the back of her hand was proof. She was a full huntress in every sense of the word now. She had thought she would be able to skip the bandages by using her aura to heal it. She was disappointed when she found out doing that would make the ink fade. She would have to wait to show it off to the world.

Weiss had insisted that Ruby was in the room when she had hers done. She never changed her mind on the design, and Ruby was even more emotional seeing that tattoo being applied than when she saw her own. Weiss was hers... No, that wasn't right. Weiss was her own woman. She was going to be with her forever though. That was the promise of the tattoo.

She had made her own promise. Ruby took one last look at her hand, as did Weiss. Her fiancé had insisted she was going to be with her now as Ruby had been with her then. Weiss had added Ruby's emblem to the center of her old one. She loved it and if Ruby could hers would have been identical. Given the nature of emblems that wasn't possible. Instead Ruby had changed hers in the same way Weiss had: adding a portion of Weiss's old emblem to the center of hers.

Ruby didn't try to hide the sappy smile that crossed her face as the artist bandaged up her hand.

"Dolt," Weiss said, even though a similar smile was trying hard to cross her face.

Ruby wasn't fooling herself. Their relationship was going to be rocky for a while. There was too much between them that needed worked out. They're relationship was new enough that they were still discovering quirks each had. The ones that weren't obvious when you were just friends. And the ones that are easily attributed to outside forces, like roommates. When they found one that was a real problem compromises needed to be worked out. There was also emotional baggage from both of their pasts that would interfere. On top of that she knew there was going to be things in the future she couldn't even guess at.

And there was that one little secret she still couldn't get herself to tell Weiss. She knew it would come out eventually and bite her on her bottom.

But right now she let all of that go. "And you love me for it."

Weiss sighed with mock irritation, and Ruby laughed. No matter what the future held, they would face it together until their dying breaths.

* * *

The graduation ceremony went without a hitch. Weiss was made valedictorian, which surprised no one. She'd always been the overachiever of the group; even when her and Ruby were recovering from their crash. She had insisted on studying while watching over Ruby. She'd even turned in extra credit papers to be sure her grades hadn't dropped from all the distractions.

Blake was given a special honor for her part in creating Phoenix. All five of Phoenix's heads had made it to the ceremony. Since the menace of the reapers had passed Phoenix had tripled in size, and continued to grow at an accelerating rate. They had made a grand announcement of their existence and their purpose. People were still deciding how they felt about them. This award was to show the world Ozpin's, and the whole of Beacon's, support. Blake was still suitably embarrassed getting it. As she put it, "I just did what I could and got lucky."

Yang was proud of her teammates as she watched them on stage. Weiss's speech was well prepared of course, and inspirational. That wasn't a surprise. What had been a surprise was when Ozpin had introduced her as Weiss Rose. It was to everyone outside of RWBY and JNPR that is. They weren't married yet, but she had taken on the name anyways. The paperwork had gone through and she was no longer a Schnee legally, so what was she going to use?

The thought caused Yang's emotions to darken on this happy day. It was a reminder that love could run its course properly. It certainly hadn't for her. She thought Neptune would accept her. Assumed it really. She wouldn't go so far as to say he was pissed when he found out about that assumption, but he was definitely more than annoyed. As he put it "I didn't want to share you before, why would I want to share you now? I'm not going to be your pity case."

He was right of course. That hadn't been her intent, but it was what he would become. Besides, he didn't seem to need it. She knew he was in the bleachers somewhere, snuggling up to his new girlfriend. His scars should have been ugly, yet he managed to pull it off and was still the image of cool. She was glad to see it. Unlike before Yang could tell that his debonair confidence wasn't faked. Through the pain he'd learned his true strengths.

Sun would be sitting next to him along with the rest of SSSN. She knew it was how things were going to end from the moment she'd come clean with him. Only a miracle could change it, but she had hoped he would be able to accept her. Her dad had told her from the beginning most simply weren't wired that way. Whether it was by upbringing or by genetics didn't matter. Some were and some weren't. Both of them weren't. She was. There was no compromise that would last. Love wasn't enough and they had both agreed to let things end quietly.

All of her friends had been shocked having assumed they were as strong of a lock as Ruby and Weiss had been. To her close friends she explained what had happened. Blake had said nothing, just nodding. Yang got the impression she was processing the news. She wouldn't give a clear idea of where she stood until she had finished thinking it over.

Ruby had accepted it instantly, but it did cause a long conversation on the hows and the whys. That led to explaining the portion of their family history she didn't know about. "So Summer was your mom before she was your mom? Wow," was her final take in typical Ruby fashion. "So we're really like three-quarter sisters then!"

Weiss was the least accepting, looking ready to blow a blood vessel. That is until Ruby said "we have no room to talk about lifestyles." Yang didn't even know it was possible, but Weiss actually blushed. It made her curious what that was about but let them have their secrets. She wasn't sure she wanted to know.

Weiss's speech came to an end and was followed with applause. Caps were thrown into the air, and their time at Beacon was over. Their time in the real world was now beginning.

She ran to Jerry in the milling crowd and gave him a kiss. He was probably a rebound boyfriend, but he knew that, and he knew about how she was going to live her life. She had learned from that mistake and was never going to make it again. Ruby had introduced him oddly enough, but her sister had met him through her dealings with Phoenix. The horns were pretty cute, and fun to hang onto.

The past could only be learned from, not changed. The future will sort its own self out. She was going to live in the now as she always had, and she was going to enjoy it.

* * *

Blake sat huddled with Jaune and Pyrrha after graduation. The rest of her team appeared to be putting the reapers behind them. Blake didn't have that luxury. "I know Yang told us that Raven took care of the reaper that got away. I'm worried there are more out there. No, I'm more than worried. I know there are. What I'm worried about is them coming back to Vale."

"I agree, but what can we do about it?" Jaune asked. "They can hide within Vale effectively. How hard would they be to find beyond the city walls? That's their home turf."

They've had similar conversations before. Blake wanted to take the fight to them, but her responsibilities with Phoenix prevented that. She hated it but all of her training as a huntress was going to go to waste, at least that's how she thought of it. Everyone grew annoyed with her when she mentioned that mentality though. They reasoned her training had prepared her for her role. It didn't matter. She was Phoenix's leader by her own designs, and she was going to execute the duties that went with it. She didn't have the luxury of regret.

Yang had chosen her own part to play with Phoenix. She was already famous and good at playing up to the cameras. She was going to take on all of the high profile jobs she could. The jobs where the cameras would see her, and she would be sure to show all of her best angles each time. She already had a deal with a local TV station for a reality show, courtesy of Phoenix's PR wing. Ostensibly the show would be about her work in the field. It was going to be more than that. She would play the part of a typical reality star: outrageous (Which she was already good at), hated, and gossip worthy.

Then there would be her loyal boyfriend Jerry. He would have his heart broken over and over again as she gets caught cheating on him. Simon was sure he could get a good spin on that. Jerry would get fans and a favorable reputation if they played it right. That could only help with the rest of the faunus's image. Choreographing that story was going to be a headache. Blake was liberally using one of the advantages of being the leader: delegation. Simon had assigned one of his team specifically to work with Yang and the media to get the results they wanted.

She didn't really like Yang's open lifestyle, but she had to admit it was working in her favor right now. She wasn't sure how Jerry put up with it. Then again he had another girlfriend and she seemed to be friends with Yang. It was just weird.

Ruby and Weiss were going to be helping Phoenix as well, but in a different direction. They were going to keep their heads down and out of the public view. As far as everyone would be concerned they'd be no different from the average huntsman.

Their mission was finding all the outposts beyond the walls of Vale run by the Schnee Dust Company and businesses like them. The ones that were using faunus in ways that, at best, would be called criminal. Blake had intended for the Black Wing to be doing that, but it was too dangerous for anyone other than a huntress. Those areas were thick with grimm attracted to the negative energies of the slave labor.

When they find one they were going to record the conditions for prosperity, and for Simon's PR machine. Then they were going to get them out and back to the safety of Vale's walls if possible. Blake knew that the security of those outposts were thin. The grimm themselves were the security, in a sense. The light defenses meant the grimm routinely got in and made those inside become nothing more than a statistic. One less faunus to pay.

Ruby wanted to do this because she was Ruby. She couldn't leave anyone to suffer. Weiss had that reason as well, but she also felt a responsibility having been the heir to one of the companies doing it. Blake understood the need to clean one's slate from her own personal experiences and was glad she could help her do it.

With all of RWBY occupied, that left JNPR. She didn't want to ask for their help, but she was willing to get advice from them. Of course that led to them offering the help she couldn't ask for.

And then there was Dr. Peters. His help she had actively looked for and cultivated. The good Doctor was the one put in charge of investigating the reaper's body. It hadn't been hard to convince him to part with most of his findings. As he figured it he wouldn't have had the chance to study the body if it wasn't for them killing the grimm. He didn't give any sensitive information away of course, but the generalities were interesting if you read between the lines.

For instance, the autopsy on the body had revealed its inner workings were non-existent. There was no muscle, no internal organs, nothing. Except it wasn't nothing. There had been something in there. He hadn't meant for that to slip, but Blake latched on to it. Whatever it was, it was important enough to hide.

That body didn't exist anymore. There was no clear reason why, but it dissolved into nothingness as it should have when it died. The mask, on the other hand, was still there. That was odd. Typically the mask and all the rest of its armor would dissolve with the body. Dr. Peters didn't speculate any further with her. Given his gift of gab that was suspicious, so Blake added it to the list of questions.

Blake had an idea that the body and mask had some form of connection, and when the mask was removed before it was killed that connection was broken. It could explain why the body didn't dissolve right away. Maybe. It was only a guess though. She wasn't a scientist. It did make sense that it wouldn't have been discovered sooner if she was right.

No one had ever tried to remove their masks before. It would be suicidal to try, and what would be the point? In their fight Jaune had punched the grim in the face with his arm shield. It had been a desperate move, but the fight itself had been desperate. The punch caused his shield to lodge between the mask and the monster's head. Jerking the shield free had removed the mask. The odds of that happening was something Blake didn't want to try calculating.

She believed more information would come from research on the mask. Deciphering whatever she got from her source was an enjoyable, and very necessary, challenge.

"I'm not sure what we can do yet, but would JNPR be willing to take on this job? It'll be paid work with a big signon bonus."

One other good thing had happened for Phoenix. Alice didn't know the source of the money by design, but they were being backed by one of the richest families in Vale. The richest in Remnant if you only looked at faunus. Blake hadn't expected that backing from the Whitmore's, though she should have. Even if you didn't take into account their daughter was a member, they had a vested interest in Phoenix succeeding and had the means to help. That backing had allowed for paid jobs, like this one, as well as key members being hired full time. With her heads and sub-leaders no longer having the obstacle of their jobs to contend with progress had dramatically increased.

A new officer in the command wing had been created out of necessity to accommodate this windfall, as well as any other sources of money: The Exchequer. Her job would be keeping track of finances and clear big projects, like this one, with their backers. The potential backlash Blake had feared from the beginning was still possible. The reapers had already proven they were willing to use humans and faunus to further their goals. Given their need for the worst in human nature the remaining members of White Fang was going to be their obvious choice should they return.

"You don't need to pay us. We're in," Jaune said automatically.

Blake smiled and shook her head. "I know you want to, but it's not realistic. This job could go on for years, and you can't eat on good intentions and thank yous." They were her friends, so she'd expected this reaction. It was touching, but it wasn't feasible. "This needs to be full time, and if nothing else the supplies are going to cost a fortune while you're out there. Phoenix has the money. It's not going to break us."

Jaune looked ready to argue further, but Pyrrha put a single hand on his shoulder to forestall it and spoke up. "We will accept, but with conditions. You are right on our needs, but we will not take more than necessary for our success. That is our final offer."

Eh, it was a compromise she wasn't entirely happy with. She didn't want to take advantage of their friendship. She also knew that Pyrrha didn't bluff. "Deal."

* * *

 _Author's notes:_

 _Thank you to everyone who took the time to read my story. This is the first full book I have ever finished writing, and it has been a learning experience. To those who gave input, you have my gratitude. Whether it was positive or negative the critiques have helped me to improve._

 _This book is now 'complete.' All the story points I wanted to hit on are now covered. The only changes from here will simply be grammatical improvements, which will probably never end._

 ** _New content and when/where it was added_** _(it is possible I made the change and forgot to update it until 9/8/15) **:**_  
 _1) How the Reapers brought down Ruby and Weiss's plane. (Added in the beginning of chapter 16 on 8/10. Suggestions from Knight7572 were used with much thanks)_ _  
_ _2) The Reaper's connection to dust and how they can manipulate it. (Added in chapter 27 on 8/10)_  
 _3) A description of how Jaune and Pyrrha look at this point in their lives. (Added in chapter 2 on 8/10)_  
 _4) Deeper explanation on Nora's motives on getting together with Ruby. (Added in chapter 6 on 8/17)_  
 _5) A bit more from Yang acknowledging how badly she f'd up and why with Sun. (Added in chapter 6 on 8/19)_  
 _6) Some more insight into Yang's thinking during the 'you lose' conversation with Sun and Neptune. (added in chapter 13 on 8/12)_ _  
_ _7) Added a bit more to the end of the break in to Ozpin's office. (Added to the end of chapter 22 on 8/19)_ _  
_ _8) A couple of sentences explaining what happened to Yang's classes with Glynda during the stake out. (Added in chapter 18 on 8/19)_ _  
_ _9) Many revisions regarding Yang's actions and emotions about Ruby/Weiss's crash, Sun/Neptune, and her attack on Blake (Added in chapters 11 and 13 on 8/20)_ _  
_ _10) Fixed a continuity error where the Grimm had been seen to have been different sizes yet when confronted with them in the final battles it was a surprise. (Added in chapters 26 and 27 on 8/21)_ _  
_ _11) Fixed a continuity error where a grimm regenerated a leg faster than possible. (Added in chapter 23 on 8/21)_ _  
_ _12) Added how the grimm's mask was black in the fight with Yang. (Added in chapter 18 on 8/21)_  
 _13) A revelation on how Ruby and Nora's relationship started. (Added in chapter 19 on 9/3)_ _  
_ _14) Blake Chapters were renamed to bird themes (Changed on 9/8)  
15) Added Ruby's view point to becoming Weiss's girlfriend. (Added in chapter 4 on 9/24)_

 ** _Polyamory:_** _I made Yang polyamorous. I know this isn't a lifestyle many agree with, and that's your right. I figure it's no different from those who would read White Rose related fiction and are against homosexuality. I did not do it to make a statement, or to change people's minds. I did it from head canon based on the math of when the sisters were born, and obviously I have no moral objections to it, so I didn't shy away from taking it in that direction._

 ** _Ozpin's semblance:_** _Immortality (Ageless, not unkillable) is head canon coming from three separate places. In "Badge and the burden" He mentioned making more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on Remnant. (Thanks for the quote correction Cavetroll001.) In "Mountain Glen" Glynda mentioned to Ironwood that Ozpin had more experience than any of them. Given that Ironwood looks to be a contemporary of Ozpin, if not older, and Glynda's tone made it clear there was an 'easily' missing somewhere in that line, made me think. Finally just the gear motif of his office, almost clock like. I'm probably wrong, but I liked it and being able to use it is the glory of an AU._


End file.
